Jose R. Ping-ay, 1950 – 2020

The Co-op Sector on September 18 mourns the passing of co-op champion Jose R. Ping-ay. He served as Chairman the Board of Directors of the NATCCO Network from 2008 to 2009 and as COOP-NATCCO Representative in 2009 to 2013.

It was during his term as Chairperson in 2008 that the NATCCO reached the landmark first Billion in Assets, just four years into the “Transformation Journey”.  NATCCO became a secondary federation in 2004. 

He took over as COOP-NATCCO’s representative in Congress after Guillermo Cua of Cagayan de Oro City passed away in December 2009.

Ping-ay was sworn into office by then House Speaker Prospero Nograles when Session began in February 2009.

On February 17 that year, then President Gloria Arroyo signed the Cooperative Code of 2008.

Ping-ay “hit the ground running.”

In an interview with the Philippine Star, he vowed to introduce legislation that would add teeth to the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), facilitate the mergers of cooperatives, improve agricultural production, and spur rural development, and urge the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to boost cooperative banks.

Ping-ay hails from Ilocos Sur, and had served as Vice Mayor in his hometown.  After working abroad as a Construction Engineer, he joined the Sta. Cruz Credit & Development Cooperative upon his return in 1987.  

He had also served as Chairperson of the Northern Luzon federation of cooperatives, NORLUCEDEC.

He also founded the Ilocos Sur Cooperative Bank in 1994.