DSWD 7: First Opinion Assumes Project Within Cebu City Hall

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 has changed its stand saying the Cebu City government should secure a permit if it will pursue the “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” fund-raising campaign to raise money for the construction of a new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building.

This was clarified by DSWD-7 Regional Director Mercedita Jabagat after she learned that the fund raising campaign of the city is not only done in Cebu City, but also in other places of the country and in abroad.

Jabagat had sent a letter to Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella explaining that the previous DSWD opinion that the city does not need a permit for its solicitation activity because they believed that it was conducted only at City Hall or at the hospital premises.

The DSWD officials learned that the city even created an account in Facebook for the “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” campaign.

The Welfare Department’s top official stressed that Administrative Order 14 issued in 2007 that regulates public solicitations provides that all those engage in solicitation for public welfare purposes should secure a permit from DSWD. Although the local chief executives may have the authority to issue solicitation permit, but Jabagat said this is only limited to activities within their respective areas of jurisdiction.

The city had already received over P10 million of donations from private companies, Local Government Units (LGU’s) and from the ordinary citizens.

According to Vice Mayor Labella, the city is very willing to comply with the law, although he will first refer the matter to Mayor Michael Rama once the latter will report back from his one-week leave.

The operations of the city’s medical personnel was transferred to the Cebu City Fire Station building just across the CCMC, because the 40-year old hospital building was badly damaged by the 7.2 Magnitude earthquake last October 15, 2013.