The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has issued a new cease and desist order (CDO) against the Quezon City childcare facility of Gentle Hands Inc. due to the revocation of its fire safety inspection certificate (FSIC) by the Bureau of Fire Protection.

The new CDO issued by DSWD on June 13 was based on the May 25, 2023 letter of Fire Senior Supt. Aristotle Banaga of the Quezon City Fire Department wherein his office has confirmed the revocation of GHI’s FSIC “on the grounds the GHI’s suffered from the following defects.”

The QC Fire Department listed 13 violations of the Fire Code committed by the GHI’s Project 4, Quezon City facility and the Gentle Hands management had to address all the listed defects before it can be issued a new FSIC, which is a requirement before any establishment can operate.

Among the GHI violations listed by the BFP were its failure to comply with the required termination of (fire) exits; absence of automatic detection and alarm system; absence of approved automatic sprinkler system; absence of posted emergency evacuation plan and failure to conduct emergency egress and relocations drills.

“Given the serious fire safety violations of the care facility, and pursuant to the authority, regulatory powers, and responsibility for the exercise of the mandate of DSWD to assist in the protection of the rights of children from all forms of danger, neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development…the undersigned hereby orders Gentle Hands Inc. to Cease and Desist from further operations pending an investigation by the DSWD for a maximum period of 20 days,” the CDO signed by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian read.

The CDO is part of DSWD’s authority, regulatory powers and responsibility to assist in the protection of the rights of children from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development.

On May 22, the DSWD issued its first CDO against Gentle Hands Inc, based on a complaint that the private orphanage has committed a violation of Republic Act No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination.

The DSWD also received a report that GHI has failed to comply with the minimum standards for residential facilities for children.

On May 20, Secretary Gatchalian and several DSWD officials went to the GHI facility located at No. 27 F. Castillo Street, Brgy. Bagumbuhay, Project 4, Quezon City and based on their surprise inspection, they were able to confirm that the children in GHI are in imminent danger and decided that it is in the best interest of the children to be transferred to a safe shelter.

GHI is a duly registered and licensed social welfare and development agency (SWDA) of the DSWD with License No. DSWD-SB-L-000052-2021 issued on 12 August 2021 and valid until 13 August 2024.

“Since the DSWD is the one accrediting and giving out license to operate on SWDAs, the Department has the power to issue a CDO against an SWDA especially if there are serious concerns regarding their facilities, like the revocation of their FSIC by the BFP,” DSWD Spokesman Asst. Secretary Lopez said.#