DSWD amends guidelines on CSOs accreditation

• Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1003913
• Saturday, January 13, 2018

By Lucia F. Broño (DSWD/EPC/LFB/PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently amended the “Guidelines on the Accreditation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as beneficiaries of DSWD projects and programs.”

The move was made to simplify the accreditation process and address various policy issues raised during the implementation of the old guidelines, Memorandum Circular No. 13 series of 2017.

DSWD officer-in-charge Emmanuel Leyco said, “We have expedited the process of accreditation to make it more responsive to the conditions of our CSO partners.”

Leyco stressed that the simplified process still calls for the stringent scrutiny of submitted documents to ensure the legitimacy, proven track record and good standing in undertaking civil society works of the applicant CSOs.

Under the amended guidelines, the applying beneficiary CSO must duly accomplish the accreditation application form. The applicant is also required to submit documentary requirements proving their existence and organization such as barangay certification, certification of endorsement from at least two publicly known individuals in the community, organizational chart or governance structure, and information on organizational profile.

If the CSO has previously received public funds, a certificate of good standing from the government agency from which the funds came from must be provided.

The CSO must also provide proof that it has undergone social preparation from the DSWD by the designated regional program/project officer of the DSWD program or project where the CSO seeks to engage partnership.

For associations or groups organized by DSWD, the head of the DSWD program or project will issue a certificate of compliance attesting that the applicant CSO has met the requirements specified in Section 65 of the 2017 General Appropriations Act.

Upon receipt of the completed application form and attachments, the concerned DSWD Field Office, through its Standards Unit, will undertake the necessary steps to review, validate, and respond to the application.

The entire process of accreditation if all documents are in order will take 21 days. The process includes the validation of submitted documents and establishment of proof of existence of the organization.

However, once the DSWD Field Office Accreditation Committee finds irregularities in the submitted documents, the CSO applicant will be duly notified and will be given three working days from the receipt of the notice to explain.

Once approved, the certificate of accreditation is valid for three years from the date of issuance unless sooner revoked by the Department. After which, the Beneficiary CSO may apply for the renewal of its certificate of accreditation within 60 working days prior to the expiration of its certificate.

Beneficiary CSOs are groups made up of organized individuals who need government support through projects or programs which they can access.

It also include DSWD-organized CSOs, which are group or association composed of beneficiaries identified by the Department for its projects or programs, such as the associations under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) and the Emergency Shelter Assistance Program (ESAP), among others.