DSWD 7 Urges NGO Registration

To become qualified welfare arms, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7 urged non-government organizations (NGOs) to undergo certification.

“We have an organized monitoring system which checks the legitimacy of the applicant NGO,” said DSWD-7 regional director Mercedita Jabagat. Jabagat’s statement came after some NGOs purportedly owned by
the controversial Janet Lim-Napoles have been questioned due to their legitimacy.

The director said they have “stringent processes” as they don’t want to transact with bogus groups which, in the process, may run with the taxpayers’ money.

The DSWD official said their department always recognizes the role of the NGOs in their efforts to provide basic services to the public.

Jabagat said Central Visayas is second when it comes to having the highest number of registered NGOs nationwide, tailing the National Capital Region (NCR). And all of these NGOs are operating legally.