CDA MIMAROPA BRINGS LEADERSHIP, COOPERATIVE VALUES AND DIGITAL WELL-BEING TO PALAWAN COCO COOP YOUTH CAMP 2026

News | National Posted on 2026-08-13 03:53:58

CDA MIMAROPA Youth, Cooperative Advocates and Technology Educators Unite to Inspire the Next Generation of Cooperative Leaders

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PALAWAN — August 13, 2026 — A powerful convergence of cooperative leadership, youth empowerment, financial literacy and digital transformation is taking place in Puerto Princesa City as the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) brings together cooperative youth leaders, officials, resource speakers and development advocates for the PALAWAN COCO COOP YOUTH CAMP 2026, held from August 10 to 14, 2026.

Carrying the inspiring theme “KoopKabataan: Tanim ng Pag-asa, Ani ng Kaunlaran,” the youth camp is designed not simply as a gathering, but as a leadership-building experience that seeks to cultivate young people who can become responsible, innovative and socially c

onscious leaders of the cooperative movement. The official program, the camp brings together CDA leadership and personnel, including CDA Chairperson Usec. Alexander Raquepo, Assistant Secretary Asec. Abdulsalam Guinomla, CDA Administrator Dr. Emmanuel Santiaguel, former CDA Assistant Secretary Virgilio R. Lazaga, M.D., and CDA Region IV-B Regional Director Alberto A. Sabarias, together with CDA field personnel and cooperative leaders.

The participation of leaders from the CDA's national and regional structure gives the youth camp a deeper significance: the future of the cooperative movement is being discussed not only at the grassroots, but also in direct dialogue with the institution responsible for advancing cooperative development in the Philippines.

A UNITED CDA MESSAGE: YOUTH ARE THE FUTURE OF THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT

The opening activities featured the arrival of participants, a welcome message from Regional Director Alberto A. Sabarias, and a Bonfire Welcome Ceremony that included the introduction of participants, presentation of chosen youth leaders in Palawan, the symbolic “Pass the Flame” activity, groupings, and the sharing of expectations and aspirations.

The symbolism of the flame is particularly meaningful. It represents the responsibility of one generation to pass knowledge, values and leadership to another.

The message is clear: cooperatives will not remain strong merely because institutions exist; they will remain strong when young people are prepared to lead, innovate and serve.

The August 11 program strengthened this message through a series of leadership and development sessions.

The program featured inspirational and messages of support from Usec. Alexander Raquepo, Asec. Abdulsalam Guinomla, Dr. Emmanuel Santiaguel and Virgilio R. Lazaga, M.D., followed by an overview of the 2026 MIMAROPA Youth Camp presented by Jefhtee R. Panganiban, Senior CDS, CPDAS.

LEADERSHIP MUST NOW INCLUDE DIGITAL RESPONSIBILITY

One of the most significant sessions of the camp was the afternoon presentation on Human-Centered Digital Wellness & Social Intelligence, delivered by Henry V. Bayubay.

Bayubay, who serves as Vice President of the Filipino Inventors Society Multipurpose Cooperative (FISMPC) and is President & CEO of BB 88 Advertising and Digital Solutions Inc. and Migs Master Institute for Graphics, brought a different but increasingly essential dimension to cooperative youth development: the relationship between technology, human behavior, social intelligence and responsible leadership.

His Humanity-Centered Digital Wellness and Social Intelligence (HDWSI) Framework challenges young leaders to look beyond the technology itself and ask a more important question:

How can technology serve humanity without allowing humanity to become controlled by technology?

For cooperative youth, this question is especially relevant. The new generation of cooperative leaders is growing up in an environment dominated by smartphones, social media, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, online communities and rapidly changing technologies.

Bayubay's message emphasizes that digital transformation must remain human-centered. Technology should not simply make organizations faster. It should make them more responsible, more inclusive, more intelligent and more connected to the communities they serve.

FROM COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES TO DIGITAL GENERATIONS

The significance of the HDWSI discussion is that it connects traditional cooperative values with the realities faced by today's young people. The cooperative movement is built upon principles such as participation, democratic decision-making, education, cooperation and concern for community.

In the digital age, these principles must also exist online. A cooperative youth leader must therefore learn not only how to manage an organization, but also how to:

• use social media responsibly;
• communicate with empathy;
• recognize misinformation and manipulation;
• protect digital dignity and privacy;
• develop emotional and social intelligence;
• use artificial intelligence ethically;
• build healthy digital communities;
• understand the consequences of digital behavior; and
• ensure that technology strengthens rather than weakens human relationships.

This is where HDWSI becomes highly relevant to the cooperative movement. It provides a framework for developing young leaders who are not merely technologically capable, but human-centered, socially intelligent and ethically grounded.

COOPERATIVE YOUTH AS DIGITAL CHANGE-MAKERS

The presence of Bayubay as a cooperative officer, technology entrepreneur and educator added a unique perspective to the camp.

His participation demonstrates that the cooperative movement can create bridges between cooperatives, technology, education, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Through his work with FISMPC, BB 88 Solutions and Migs Master Institute, Bayubay advocates a future where cooperative members are not merely consumers of technology but can become creators, innovators and owners of digital solutions.

This perspective aligns strongly with the objectives of youth development. The cooperative youth of today can potentially become: Digital Cooperative Entrepreneurs.
Technology Innovators. Community Data Stewards. AI-Responsible Leaders.
Social Entrepreneurs. Agricultural Technology Advocates. Financially Literate Cooperative Managers.

The objective is not to replace the cooperative spirit with technology. It is to use technology to amplify the cooperative spirit.

LEADERSHIP, FINANCIAL LITERACY AND TEAMWORK

The camp's program demonstrates a deliberate progression from leadership formation to practical life and organizational skills.

The morning session included a Leadership Seminar by Dr. Alvin Timbancaya, CEO of Palawan MMG MPC, while the afternoon continued with the HDWSI session of Henry V. Bayubay, followed by a Financial Literacy Seminar led by Fatima C. Arroyo, CDS II–CRITS.

This combination is particularly important. Leadership without financial literacy can create weak organizations. Technology without ethics can create social problems. Knowledge without teamwork can fail to create collective action. The camp therefore brings together three essential dimensions of modern cooperative leadership:

1. Leadership

Developing the confidence, discipline and responsibility to serve others.

2. Financial Literacy

Understanding money, savings, investments, organizational resources and responsible economic decision-making.

3. Human-Centered Digital Intelligence

Learning how to navigate technology, social media and emerging digital systems without losing humanity, empathy and ethical responsibility. Together, these create a stronger foundation for the next generation of cooperative leaders.

FROM BONFIRE TO BANNER MAKING: LEARNING THROUGH PARTICIPATION

The camp does not rely solely on lectures.

The August 12 program moves into team-building activities, banner making, presentation preparation, fellowship, group presentations, friendship bracelet exchange and an awarding ceremony, demonstrating that cooperative education is also about working together, building trust and learning through shared experiences.

The program identifies Jefhtee R. Panganiban, Senior CDS, CPDAS, as responsible for the mechanics and instructions for banner making and presentation preparation. The closing activities are led by Atty. Richard E. Ilagan, while the succeeding day features outdoor recreational activities and departure.  These activities reinforce an important cooperative lesson: A cooperative succeeds when individuals learn how to become part of something bigger than themselves.

CDA LEADERSHIP: INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAD TOMORROW

The participation of CDA officials from the national leadership and Region IV-B gives the Palawan youth camp institutional significance. It demonstrates that youth development is not a peripheral activity—it is an investment in the continuity of the Philippine cooperative movement.

The presence of CDA Chairperson Usec. Alexander Raquepo, Asec. Abdulsalam Guinomla, CDA Administrator Dr. Emmanuel Santiaguel, former Assistant Secretary Virgilio R. Lazaga, M.D., and Regional Director Alberto A. Sabarias, together with CDA personnel and cooperative resource persons, sends a powerful message to the young participants:

You are being seen.
You are being heard.
You are being prepared.
And you are being trusted with the future of the cooperative movement.

A NEW GENERATION OF “KOOPKABATAAN”

The PALAWAN COCO COOP YOUTH CAMP 2026 is ultimately more than a four-day activity.

It is a laboratory for leadership. It is a place where young people can discover that cooperation is not simply about membership in an organization—it is a way of thinking, a way of working and a way of building communities.

And in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, social media and digital platforms, cooperative youth must be equipped with something more than technical skills.

They need human intelligence.

They need social intelligence.

They need financial intelligence.

They need digital responsibility.

And above all, they need a sense of purpose. This is the larger significance of the HDWSI Framework shared by Henry V. Bayubay during the camp: the future should not be defined by how advanced technology becomes, but by how wisely humanity chooses to use it.

THE FUTURE IS COOPERATIVE. THE FUTURE IS HUMAN. THE FUTURE IS DIGITAL.

As the PALAWAN COCO COOP YOUTH CAMP 2026 continues, the message from the CDA and its partners resonates beyond Palawan:

Young people are not merely the future members of cooperatives. They can become the innovators, entrepreneurs, educators, technology developers and community leaders who will redefine what cooperatives can achieve in the 21st century.

The flame passed from one participant to another during the opening ceremony therefore carries a deeper meaning.

It is the flame of cooperation.

It is the flame of leadership.

It is the flame of innovation.

It is the flame of hope.

And through programs such as the Palawan Coco Coop Youth Camp, that flame is being entrusted to a new generation. From the cooperative movement to the digital generation, the mission remains the same: empower people, strengthen communities and create a future where progress is shared.

“COOP KABATAAN: TANIM NG PAG-ASA, ANI NG KAUNLARAN.”

The youth are the seeds of hope. Their leadership will be the harvest of tomorrow's development.

Source: Official PALAWAN COCO COOP YOUTH CAMP 2026 program, Princesa Garden, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, August 10–14, 2026.

NPO NEWS TEAM I MIGS-CDA-BB88 - PR

Share:

Writer :

Link :