The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has cited multiple findings concerning the safety of the residents of a facility in San Pedro, Laguna, including lack of professional staff for the protection of the vulnerable sector that led to the suspension of the shelter managed by Bench TV.

The operation of the facility run by vlogger Benjie Perillo, known as Bench TV, was suspended for giving shelter to individuals, including minors, persons with disabilities, and in street situations without a valid license from the DSWD’s Standards Bureau (SB).

“Ang question is saan ba sya hindi nag-comply? Kasi we have standards and we have the findings. With regard to the first finding or requirement—legal authority—yung requirement natin sa DSWD ay dapat may Certificate of Registration and License to Operate (CRLTO). Based on our database ay walang CRLTO from DSWD,” Director Megan Therese Manahan of the DSWD’s SB said during the Thursday Media Forum on February 5 at the Central Office’s New Press Center in Quezon City.

According to Director Manahan, the facility also lacks social workers and a multidisciplinary team to handle case management of the residents and provision of needed interventions.

“Next requirement—professional staffing—as I have mentioned earlier, there are minors, persons with special needs, some are even mentally challenged and hindi maka-communicate with regard to consent or their needs,” the SB director explained to reporters.

“Yung standard natin ay dapat may registered social workers tayo for case management and multidisciplinary team for the appropriate intervention. Noong pinuntahan po sya, walang social workers, wala ring mga trained professionals. Very important din po kasi sa social workers, lagi dapat may case folders, may medical records pero wala rin pong nakitang documentation,” Director Manahan pointed out.

Another finding is the lack of safety certifications of the facility. Under the DSWD’s guidelines, social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs) or charitable organizations must have safety certifications such as fire safety inspection certificate, sanitary permit, and occupancy or annual building inspection.

“We are very particular about this kasi nag-stay sila doon 24/7. Yung finding po dito ng team ay they operated a shelter in a residential area without safety certifications,” Director Manahan said.

The DSWD’s SB also noted a violation relative to the right to privacy of the clients and protection of minors and persons with disabilities.

“Yung standard natin is strict confidentiality protocols. Dapat yung identities ng clients ay protected by law. Nakita po namin na yung faces kasi ng mga residents ay kita sa mga accounts. So, we wanted to protect yung well-being nila. Na-mention ko po kanina na yung iba ay mentally-challenged, yung iba cannot give consent on video recording,” Director Manahan said.

“On minor protection, strictly no public exposure of children,” the SB director added.

Director Manahan said SWDAs are also subject to regular government inspection and financial audits.

“In this case, walang institutional oversight and the operations were done at the discretion of the owner,” Director Manahan stressed.

The SB director said the Department already conducted a site visitation in 2022 and provided technical assistance regarding the application of CRLTO but the facility has yet to secure a certification until now.

The DSWD’s SB, as mentioned by Director Manahan is set to meet Benjie Perillo and his team on Friday (February 6) to provide technical assistance on the application of CRLTO.

“Pupunta po sila dito, sila Sir Benjie and his team. We will orient him with the requirements to get a license from DSWD. I had social workers go there and provide very specific technical assistance on how to do the beneficiary-protection policy and the child-protection policy,” Director Manahan said. (YADP)