Protect people from unscrupulous solicitations Rep.

Sato
Theres a proposed law in Congress which seeks to protect the general public from
unscrupulous persons soliciting funds for questionable purposes.
While giving and sharing are virtues to emulate, there are also people who take
advantage of peoples open-heartedness to pursue selfish personal interests, !ep.
"osephine #. !amire$ %ato lamented.
!ep. %ato is author of &' ())*, to be known as The +ublic %olicitation ,ct of
)-.( , which would establish the standards and guidelines for organi$ation, agencies,
groups and individuals undertaking such solicitation activities.
+ublic solicitation under the proposed ,ct refers to an/ activit/ or pro0ect intended
to generate funds, goods, or other assistance from the public sectors for charitable and1or
public welfare purposes.
+ublic welfare purposes refer to activities or pro0ects relative to health, education,
peace, social welfare and protection, environmental safet/, rights, securit/ and safet/ or
citi$ens and similar circumstances or conditions.
&' ())*, referred to the &ouse Committee on %ocial %ervices chaired b/ !ep.
,rturo !obes, aims to strengthen the s/stem of granting permits and1or authori$ation to
solicit funds and1or donations from the public for charitable, social and public welfare
purposes. +ermits shall be granted b/ the 2%W2 and its provincial, Cit/ and municipal
branches.
3t is also the intention of this bill to ensure that solicited funds are properl/ utili$ed
according to its intended purposes and given to its rightful beneficiaries, %ato stressed.
%ection ( of &' ())* provides4 This ,ct shall appl/ to all 5ational 6overnment
,gencies 756,s8, 6overnment 9wned and Controlled Corporations 769CCs8, %tate
Colleges1:niversities, ;ocal 6overnment :nits 7;6:s8 and other government agencies<
5on-6overnment 9rgani$ations 7569s8 including faith-based peoples organi$ation and
civil societ/ organi$ations, associations, branch organi$ation operating in the +hilippines
which are partl/ or full/ financed with funds solicited from or contributed b/ the public or
private sectors for charitable or public welfare purposes1s.
The measure, however, e=empts from its coverage organi$ations and agencies
created b/ laws or charters that specificall/ confer authorit/ on these organi$ations and
agencies to solicit or conduct fund campaign for charitable or public welfare purposes.
NR # 3460B
MAY 8, 2014
+rovided, that the 2%W2, +%W29 and C1>%W29 shall have the authorit/ to
monitor their activities and to require these organi$ations and agencies to submit but not
limited to specific documents which, among others, include4 a8 audited fund utili$ation
report of its collections, income and e=penditures and other financial documents< b8 lists
of donors and their corresponding addresses and contact numbers< c8 list of beneficiaries
with their corresponding signatures, addresses and contact numbers and amount or t/pes
of assistance e=tended< and d8 list of pro0ects completed, location and cost with complete
documentations on the pro0ect e.g. pictures, videos and testimonies of beneficiaries.
The 2%W2 ma/ also require other documents in order to make assessment of
performance of the organi$ation and agenc/, the bill provides. +%W29 means +rovincial
%ocial Welfare and 2evelopment 9ffice, while C1>%W29 stands for Cit/1>unicipal
%ocial Welfare and 2evelopment 9ffice.
,lso e=empted from application of solicitation permit are carolling during
Christmas season as a form of solicitation and the solicitation within the church1mosque or
building for religious purposes or Christian1>uslim worship.
&owever, approval of the concerned +%W29 or C1>%W29 that has 0urisdiction
over the areas, must be first obtained prior the solicitation activities for religious purposes
that are to be conducted outside the peripheral of the Christian1>uslim worship, &'
())* states.
The bill provides for prohibited acts, filing and handling of complaints and
corresponding penalties for violations. +enalties include imprisonment ranging from not
less than one /ear but not more than three /ears and fines not less than +.--,--- but not
more than +*--,--- or both at the discretion of the court.
?urthermore, for the first offense there shall be revocation of solicitation permit and
no permit shall be granted for two /ears from date of violation. ?or the second offense,
violator shall be banned permanentl/ from conducting solicitation activities and its
registration or license to operate as an organi$ation or agenc/ shall be cancelled and
revoked permanentl/. 7(-8 dpt