Organizations conducting public solicitations should have corresponding permits from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which are processed and issued through the agency’s Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System (HELPS) to ensure legitimacy of the activities, a senior official said on Tuesday (April 8).
Director Megan Therese Manahan of the agency’s Standard Bureau (SB) appealed to the public to report charitable institutions or groups that they know of which are conducting solicitation activities without the appropriate DSWD permits as these are illegal.
“Kung may mga NGO po kayong nakikita or mga solication activities na nakikita, pakireport na lang po sa Standards Bureau at sb@dswd.gov.ph,”Director Manahan told reporters at the National Press Club’s weekly Meet the Press.
According to the SB director, the HELPS is a one-stop-shop online platform of the Department which houses the processing of the DSWD’s regulatory services such as the issuance of the Certificate of Registration, License to Operate, and Accreditation (CRLA); public solicitation permit; and the duty tax exemption for importation of donated goods.
Foundations, charitable institutions, and non-government organizations (NGOs) must be duly registered and licensed with the DSWD before they can apply for a solicitation permit, according Director Manahan.
“Aside from the regular programs, the DSWD has regulatory services, so ano po ba yung sakop [regulatory] nito. We cover the social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs). Basically, ito yung mga NGOs natin na social welfare ang cause nila. So, bago sila mag operate kailangan nila ng registration, license to operate, and accreditation from the DSWD,” Director Manahan explained.
The regulation of the solicitation permit is mandated under Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1564.
Under PD 1564, any person, corporation, organization, or association desiring to solicit or receive contributions for charitable or public welfare purposes shall first secure a permit from the Regional Offices of the Department of Social Services and Development (now the DSWD).
Director Manahan stressed that issuance of licenses for foundations and organizations as well as solicitation permits is done to ensure that quality services are provided to intended beneficiaries.
“Dahil ultimately, ang gusto natin, may quality ng services ang nare-receive ng mga beneficiaries, at saka para masigurado natin na yung mga solicited funds ay napupunta sa targeted beneficiaries,” the SB Director said.
Considering the importance of the statutory services, the DSWD developed the online HELPS to make the application for the CRLA and solicitation permits easier and faster.
Through the HELPS, the processing days for the issuance of licenses were streamlined from months to just seven days.
Also, with the system, the SWDAs’ no longer have to go to DSWD regional offices to apply for their CRLA.
With the HELPS launched in February, the DSWD is embarking on an information dissemination campaign to ensure that all organizations working in the social welfare field and those wanting to conduct fundraising activities will apply via the online system. (GDVF)