CEBU CITY – The Region 7 Office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD7) is warning the public against unscrupulous organizations and individuals soliciting for funds for disaster victims and disadvantaged groups.

Particularly because of the increasing number of those raising donations and funds for the benefit of victims of typhoons and floods in Luzon, DSWD7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said the public should be critical in giving out donations, especially cash assistance. Reports have, apparently, reached the department about people conducting house-to-house visits, asking for aid for disaster victims.

Macapobre warned that methods of solicitation, including personal house visits, solicitations in public vehicles and other similar activities are highly prohibited.

Memorandum Circular Number 2 Series of 1999 underlines that the DSWD can issue “Permit to Solicit” if the purpose of the activity is for public welfare or charitable purposes only. The department issues such permit if the activity covers two or more areas in the region.

The DSWD7 official said as the Christmas season approaches, the public should not immediately accommodate groups giving envelopes for cash assistance intended for a cause or institution.

She stressed that all applications for public solicitation follow regular assessment procedure by the department’s field offices before the start of fund raising or solicitation activity and cautioned that the public is enjoined to make sure and validate if the permit is legal.

Meanwhile, Macapobre said those wanting their donation to reach their intended disadvantaged sector or calamity victims “can directly go to the DSWD office or call our hot line number at 2329507 or 2329505”.

She added that the same numbers could also be used to check the legality of organizations asking financial aid for calamity victims, among others.

Registered or accredited organizations of the DSWD should have the department’s logo, authority number, coverage affectivity and expiry date.

Moreover, the list of registered, licensed and accredited NGOs to operate as a social welfare agency as well as list of agencies with Authority to Conduct National Fund Raising Campaign can also be accessed at the DSWD website for verification purposes.

The DSWD7 director bared that as of last Friday, a total of 88 groups and individuals, mostly government offices, schools and non-government organizations (NGOs), including media outfits, have already turned over their donations for calamity victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng to the department office here.

Donations received mostly consisted of used clothing, canned goods, rice, noodles, milk, linens and foot wear which volunteers have repacked into packs ready for distribution to affected regions in Luzon.