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Dep’t of Accountancy turns over collaborative research output to Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT NMPC

Mar 30 2026

 

The Department of Accountancy of the College of Economics, Business and Accountancy (CEBA) of Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT) formally turned over a collaborative research output to the Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT National Multipurpose Cooperative (NMPC) during a ceremony held on March 11, 2026, at the OC Boardroom, CEBA Building, Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT. 

The event highlighted the growing partnership between the academe and the cooperative sector in using research to address real community concerns, particularly those affecting informal entrepreneurs. It also underscored Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT’s continuing commitment to research-based extension, institutional collaboration, and inclusive local development.

The program opened with welcome remarks from CEBA Dean Prof. Maria Rizalia Y. Teves, followed by the Chancellor’s message delivered by Prof. Joey Genevieve Martinez, Vice Chancellor for International Affairs. A central feature of the ceremony was the formal turnover of the research output by Dr. Maria Cecilia P. Lagaras, CPA, project leader, who also presented the study’s key findings and proposed development frameworks. University officials, cooperative representatives, faculty members, student researchers, and guests attended the event.

The turned-over study, titled “Empowering the Informal Business Sector: A Needs Assessment of Cooperative Support Mechanisms for Financial Access, Regulatory Navigation, and Capacity Building,” examined the lived realities of informal entrepreneurs and identified barriers that continue to limit their economic stability and business growth.

The research team, composed of department faculty members and student researchers, found persistent constraints in financial access, including documentary requirements, the perceived complexity of borrowing procedures, repayment concerns, and continued reliance on personal savings, paluwagan, and informal lending sources. The study also found that many entrepreneurs delay business formalization not because of resistance, but because registration and permit processes are often seen as costly, time-consuming, and difficult to navigate.

The team also presented three integrated frameworks intended to guide future action by Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT NMPC. These included a Financial Literacy Framework focused on coaching, savings promotion, debt counseling, and pre- and post-loan guidance; a Regulatory Navigation Framework aimed at helping entrepreneurs understand registration and compliance processes; and a Capacity-Building Framework designed to strengthen entrepreneurial skills through training, mentoring, and practical enterprise support.

In the acceptance message, July Macadaeg, Membership Manager of Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT NMPC, highlighted the value of research-driven collaboration in improving services and strengthening cooperative engagement. She emphasized that the research output is not merely a documentation of findings but a strategic resource that may help Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT NMPC design more responsive programs, strengthen member services, and expand its role in supporting informal entrepreneurs.

The ceremony also featured a talk by Prof. Ephrime Metillo titled “Applied Research as a Service: How Universities Strengthen Local Institutions and Enterprises.” In his message, he underscored the role of universities in producing actionable knowledge and in building partnerships that translate research into concrete institutional and community benefits.

The turnover ceremony affirmed the shared commitment of Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT and Ãå±±½ûµØ-IIT NMPC to translate research into service, policy, and action for more inclusive and sustainable local development.

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