Solons Order NGO to Stop Collecting P750 Seminar Fee

The Cebu City legislators believed that somebody in the City Hall are making money by conducting seminars to be attended by the representatives of various establishments as pre-requisite for them to renew their business permits.

Councilor Nida Cabrera and Nestor Archival, chairperson and vice chairman of the City Council’s committee on environment, are wondering why the Paglaum Basureros 20/20 is collecting P750 from each participant of the seminar.

There are about 28,000 business establishment in Cebu City that is why Cabrera and Archival said if the activity will continue said Non-Government Organization (NGO) can collect up to P2 million in fees.

The seminar, which is aimed to craft an environment sustainability action plan (Esap), needs to be attended by anyone who needs to get or renew a business or mayor’s permit.

But Cabrera said she has been getting complaints from business owners about the collection of P750 by Paglaum Basureros 20/20 from each of the participants.

In last Wednesday’s session, the City Council requested Francis Paragas, the managing director of said NGO, to stop collecting fees from the participants of the seminar and invited him to appear before the City Council on October 23.

Paragas is one of the members of the Solid Waste Management Board of Cebu City.

In a document obtained by MetroCebuNews, Mayor Michael Rama had approved that the Paglaum Basureros 20/20 Inc. will collect P750 from each of the participants.

It said that the amount serves as seminar fee to defray rental of the venue of the activity, sound system, honorarium of guest speakers, snacks and other miscellaneous expenses during the seminar.

Some of the activities were done at a movie house inside a mall at the North Reclamation Area (NRA), and at the Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office at Ramos Market, a government-owned building.

The crafting of environment sustainability action plan (Esap), by business establishments is mandated under City Ordinance 2243, or the Sustainable Development Ordinance of Cebu City. The ordinance was passed in June 2010.

Every time that business owners want to secure or renew their business or mayor’s permit, they will be required to submit such document.

Cabrera said the Paglaum Basureros 20/20 Inc. is not authorized to conduct seminars or collect registration fees since it is not accredited by the Cebu City Private Sector Organizations Evaluation and Monitoring Board.