Digital Readiness of the Cooperatives in Surigao del Norte

This study assessed the extent of information technology (IT) use and the level of digital readiness of medium and large cooperatives in Surigao del Norte, Philippines. Using a descriptive–correlational design, data were collected from 116 respondents, composed of 17 cooperative managers and 99 staff, through a validated researcher-made questionnaire. Results revealed that most respondents were female (59.48%), aged 30–34 years (28.45%), and bachelor’s degree holders (84.48%). The majority of the cooperatives were large (55.56%), multipurpose (94.44%), and allocated 5–10% of total resources to IT budgets (44.44%). IT tools such as online communication platforms, operating systems with security features, and customer relationship management systems were highly and extensively used. In terms of digital readiness, cooperatives were highly ready in areas such as security investments, remote working, digital transformation investments, digital adaptation, digital acceleration, digital core, and digital innovation, but only moderately ready in cloud migration. Statistical tests showed significant differences in IT use and digital readiness when grouped by gender, education, cooperative type, size, and IT budget. Correlation analysis indicated strong positive relationships between exogenous and endogenous latent variables (r = 0.72, p < 0.01), and between IT use and overall digital readiness (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). These findings underscore the need for cooperatives to sustain digital capacity through a Long-range Enhanced Technological Utilization Plan (LETUP), focusing on infrastructure investment, capacity building, policy strengthening, and continuous monitoring. Keywords: Digital Readiness; Information Technology; Exogenous Latent Variables; Endogenous Latent Variables; Cooperatives; Surigao Del Norte