ICA-AP Participates in NATCCO’s 48th General Assembly and 23rd Leaders’ Congress
The National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) successfully convened its 48th Annual General Assembly and 23rd Leaders’ Congress in May 2025, alongside three vibrant pre-congress events – the Managers’ Congress, the Gender and Development (GAD) Congress, and the Youth Congress. Uniting under the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025 theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” the Congresses provided a platform for celebrating the cooperative identity and engaging in intergenerational, cross-sectoral dialogue to chart a sustainable and inclusive future.
Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, ICA-AP Regional Director, delivered the keynote address at the Joint Opening Program of the Youth, GAD, and Managers’ Congress on April 30. Reflecting on the significance of the IYC 2025 theme, he spoke about the pressing global challenges – inequality, conflict, climate crisis, and technological disruption and emphasized the cooperative model as a beacon of hope. Cooperatives, he noted, deliver across four key dimensions: economic, social, environmental, and cultural. They generate dignified work, build resilient communities, protect cultural identity, and regenerate local economies. Drawing from Asia-Pacific examples, dairy cooperatives in India, consumer coops in Japan, and youth-led farms in Fiji, he urged the movement to scale its impact while safeguarding our shared identity.
The parallel congresses preceding the Assembly brought a sharp thematic focus. The Managers’ Congress addressed strategic foresight and AI transformation in leadership and performance. Speakers such as Ms. Elenita San Roque and Mr. Kevin Gayao guided participants through the evolving role of cooperative executives in the face of digital disruption and expectations for resilient, adaptive governance.
The GAD Congress explored inclusion as a pillar of cooperative development. Sessions featured compelling voices from marginalized groups – senior citizens, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and adolescents sharing lived experiences and cooperative-led pathways for empowerment. A highlight was the launch of the NATCCO Gender Mainstreaming Manual for Cooperatives, a practical tool aimed at institutionalizing gender equity across structures.
The Youth Congress, themed “Youth Leaders in Action,” was a high-energy forum that channelled youth passion into action. Sessions addressed climate resilience, youth financial empowerment, and intergenerational leadership. A standout was the Youth Entrepreneurship Pitch Competition, where young leaders showcased bold and socially rooted enterprise models. The grand prize went to Stitch of Hope, which proposed repurposing political waste materials into usable products, a timely blend of sustainability and civic consciousness. Other winners included Pakpak Paper, which creates writing paper from farm waste while employing rural youth, and Barbaza Integrated Inland Farming, a community ecosystem promoting livelihood, learning, and local assets.
During the Leaders’ Congress on 3 May, Mr. Iyer participated in a panel session titled “Utilizing AI for Sustainable Development: Innovations for a Sustainable Future.” The panelists Mr. Noel Victorino and Mr. Bryan Crosswhite, discussed how artificial intelligence can support cooperative transformation, enhance service delivery, and bridge digital divides. Mr. Iyer highlighted real-world applications like India’s Digital Agriculture Mission and Roanoke EC’s use of smart grids. However, the risks were also addressed, including ethical concerns, overdependence, and limited scalability, and reinforced that AI must remain rooted in transparency, inclusivity, and community governance.
The joint sessions of the Leaders’ Congress and General Assembly were deeply enriching, anchored by two other forward-looking panel sessions: building sustainable cooperatives through good governance and strengthening financial stability as a foundation for development. Cross-cutting participation across generations, genders, and cooperative roles was a signature strength of the Congress, reaffirming NATCCO’s inclusive DNA. The Congress elected Ms. Maria Nelia Rafaela De Leon as the Chair and Mr. Nicolas M. Valentin as Vice Chair.
Several far-reaching resolutions were adopted, providing a roadmap for cooperative growth in alignment with national and global goals. These included defining fit-and-proper criteria for cooperative leaders, supporting AI adoption with ethical safeguards, improving SDG-related reporting, boosting youth representation in governance with dedicated budgets, integrating GAD tools into operations, establishing robust financial standards, reinvigorating the COOP NATCCO Party List in national politics, and amplifying IYC 2025 objectives.
The evenings culminated in colourful Solidarity Nights, alive with music, recognition, and camaraderie. Awards honored exemplary cooperatives and dedicated staff, while motivational speaker Mr. Arun Gogna left a lasting imprint with his simple yet profound mantra: “Love a little more, Learn a little more, Live a little more, Laugh a little more.”
The NATCCO 2025 Joint Congresses were not just a gathering, they were a movement-in-motion. They illustrated the power of collective voice, the strength of shared values, and the transformative potential of youth, women, and innovation. As we mark the IYC, NATCCO stands as a leading example of how cooperatives do not merely adapt to change, they lead it.