By Gay B. Gaspay

Tacloban City, Leyte (October 11) -- The Regional Cooperative Development Council (RCDC) – 8 will hold its 2nd Regional Cooperative Summit on October 12, 2007 at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Multi-purpose Hall, Government Center, Palo, Leyte.

An inter-agency sponsored activity, the one-day summit will be participated in by different cooperatives, stakeholders and government agencies in region 8 with its objective to actively participate in convergent cooperative development efforts toward s a new directions and contemporary thrusts of cooperativism establishing a feedback system inorder to develop a cooperative family to uplift life of the people in this part of the country.

With its theme: Preserve the environment, sustain the economy, YES, cooperatives can! Thru strong partnership build progressive cooperative industry", the summit will feature the good practices of PHCCI-Tacloban and the Basak-Layog MPC of Tabango, Leyte.

Cooperative Development Authority-8 (CDA-8) Regional Director Pedro Balundo disclosed in an interview that Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) top honcho will present the Tax compliance and Tax Exemption scheme for cooperatives. While Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) President will tackle Financial Assistance and Interventions for Cooperative Productivity.

Since its theme is geared towards preserving the environment, Dir. Balundo said, the Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR) regional Director Alfredo Pascual will explain how to manage and the preservation of our environment.