A Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official assured the public the agency will not compromise its mandate as the regulatory arm for non-government organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) engaged in social welfare and development (SWD) services.
This comes amid DSWD’s latest digital innovation aptly called “HELPS” or the Harmonized Electronic License and Permit System.
DSWD Standards Bureau Director Megan Therese Manahan in a radio interview said face-to-face visitations of social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs) will be a permanent fixture as this will ensure that there will be no blind spot for the non-compliance and other unethical management among licensed and accredited SWDAs.
“Even with the digitalization of services, we are strengthening our monitoring, which is now being led by [DSWD] Field Offices,” Manahan said.
As mandated by Republic Act 43734, SWDAs, also known as foundations or charitable organizations, need to acquire certification for Registration, License to Operate and Accreditation (CRLA) from the DSWD. This process guarantees quality standards in the implementation of SWD programs and services.
The DSWD is also in charge of conducting regular monitoring and visits to ascertain that charitable organizations are not only compliant in paperwork but also in their day-to-day operation.
While the DSWD’s Standards Bureau was working to streamline its regulatory services, Manahan said the bureau decided to delegate monitoring functions to the agency’s regional Field Offices.
This move, according to the director, ensures that regulatory compliance is more closely supervised as the Field Offices are geographically-advantaged to perform this function.
The Central Office’s responsibility, meanwhile, has shifted to reviewing and processing applications for CRLA, which has led to a significant cut down on the processing time for these documents.
Manahan likewise urged SWDAs to fully-utilize the HELPS platform, avail its menu of services, and mount their compliance to the agency’s regulatory process.
