The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has renewed its call to the public not to give alms to children in street situations, homeless individuals, and members of Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) groups, whose numbers usually grow especially during the holiday season.
“The DSWD would not like to dampen the Christmas spirit. Gusto pa rin po natin na magbahagi po ng tulong lalong-lalo na sa mga bata, so the responsible means of doing that is to reach out to them, remove them from the streets dahil sila po ay nalalagay sa mga risks o kinakaharap po nila yung mga possible na kapahamakan,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao told reporters during the DSWD’s Thursday Media Forum on November 21.
The appeal aligns with Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1563, also known as the Anti-Mendicancy Law, which prohibits begging and soliciting charitable donations on the streets by individuals or religious organizations.
To prevent mendicant activities, Asst. Secretary Dumlao, the DSWD’s spokesperson, encouraged the public to offer other forms of assistance, such as conducting organized activities through gift-giving, feeding sessions, medical missions, storytelling sessions, and group caroling in coordination with the concerned local government units (LGUs).
“We want to ensure a safe Christmas experience for all children. Hence, the importance of parental or guardian’s supervision on children participating in caroling sessions to ensure they are safe from harm,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.
For groups or organizations conducting fundraising activities through caroling, Asst. Secretary Dumlao encouraged them to secure solicitation permits from the DSWD if the scope is region-wide or nationwide.
According to the DSWD official, the permit should be secured from the concerned LGU for fundraising limited within a barangay, city, or municipality.
A solicitation permit is a certification issued by the DSWD and LGUs that give authorization to individuals, groups, and other entities to solicit donations or voluntary contributions for charitable or public welfare purposes to prevent any illegal fund drive that exploits the generosity of the donors and intended beneficiaries.
For more information on the requirements for solicitation permits, the public may access the website of the DSWD Standards Bureau at https://standards.dswd.gov.ph/. (AKDL)
Tagalog Version
DSWD umapila sa publiko na huwag maglimos sa mga batang kalye, IPs
Muling umapila sa publiko ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na huwag magbigay ng limos sa mga batang nasa lansangan, kabilang na dito ang mga homeless individuals, at mga myembro ng Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) groups partikular na ngayong panahon ng kapaskuhan.
“The DSWD would not like to dampen the Christmas spirit. Gusto pa rin po natin na magbahagi po ng tulong lalong-lalo na sa mga bata, so the responsible means of doing that is to reach out to them, remove them from the streets dahil sila po ay nalalagay sa mga risks o kinakaharap po nila yung mga possible na kapahamakan,” sabi ni DSWD Asst. Secretary at Spokesperson Irene Dumlao, sa ginanap na Thursday Media Forum sa DSWD New Press Center.
Ang nasabing apila ay batay na rin sa Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1563, o Anti-Mendicancy Law, na nagbabawal sa pagbibigay ng limos o soliciting charitable donations sa mga street individuals at religious organization na isinasagawa sa kalsada.
Upang maiwasan ang pagbibigay ng limos, hinihikayat ni Assistant Secretary Dumlao, na sa halip na magbigay ng pera o limos ay magbigay na lamang ng tulong sa ibang paraan tulad ng gift-giving, feeding sessions, medical missions, storytelling sessions, at group caroling na may-coordination sa local government units (LGUs).
“We want to ensure a safe Christmas experience for all children. Hence, the DSWD spokesperson pointed out the importance of parental or guardian supervision for children participating in caroling sessions to ensure they are safe from harm,” paliwanag pa ng DSWD spokesperson.
Para sa grupo onorganisasyon na nagsasagawa ng mga fundraising activities gaya ng pangangaroling, hinihikayat ni Assistant Secretary Dumlao na humingi ng solicitation permits mula sa DSWD kungito ay region-wide o nationwide.
Ayon kay Asst Sec Dumlao, ang permit ay maaring makuha sa concerned LGU para sa fundraising na ang ‘scope’ ay limitado sa barangay, city, o municipality.
Ang solicitation permit ay isang certification na ibinibigay ng DSWD at lokal na pamahalaan na nagbibigay permiso sa indibidwal, groups, at iba pang entities na humihingi ng donasyon o voluntary contributions.
Para naman sa iba pang impormasyon at requirements sa pagkuha ng solicitation permits, maaari itong makita sa website ng DSWD Standards Bureau at https://standards.dswd.gov.ph/.# (MVC)
