Letter to the Editor — PDAF was not used for personal services

This has reference to the published article, which came out in page 6 of (October 6) issue of your paper entitled "COA says NGO got illegally disbursed funds from the DSWD-7".

We would like to clarify some points raised in the story written by your reporter Ferliza Contratista.

On the issue of illegal disbursement of funds to non-accredited NGO, we would like to inform you that the Memorandum of Agreement supporting the transaction is between the Bidlisiw Foundation and the DSWD. Bidlisiw is a DSWD-licensed and accredited organization.

DSWD Memo Circular No. 33 series of 2005 amends Memo Circular no. 24 on the Revised Guideline on the Management and Utilization of Priority Development Funds (PDAF). MC 33 states that "only license NGOs shall be eligible for the PDAF from the DSWD". In this case, Bidlisiw has been issued a license from the DSWD on March 27, 1992 and has renewed its license for three terms already (license number FCW-154) and accredited as a welfare agency on August 8, 2001 and has renewed its accreditation twice. VINE on the other hand was given license by the DSWD to operate on June 22, 2004 (license number FO7-2004-038).

In deference to the DSWD's mandate of strengthening the accountability system covering government funds, the DSWD has transferred the funds to Bidlisiw Foundation on August 22, 2002. Bidlisiw as a foundation caters to indigent families and communities delivering welfare programs and services including projects like early childhood care, family development, programs for abused and exploited children, livelihood and micro-financing and health education specifically on STI/HIV aids. This NGO has been implementing projects with other partner NGOs in coalition like the Law Inc., World Vision, NORFIL, Options, Inc. including this NGO called VINE.

The VINE on the other hand caters to abused and neglected children and women mostly coming from the 6th District of Cebu under Congresswoman Nerissa Soon Ruiz. The Vine has a facility called Balay Dangpanan which serves as a refuge for people in crisis situation. As a center for people in crisis, various programs and services are provided to clients by a staff of professionals whose services are vital to the implementation of these programs. Paying for the services of these service providers therefore are as vital and necessary to the project implementation as paying for the food, clothing, medicine and other basic necessities of the clients. Without people to implement the program, no project can be implemented by the NGOs.

The PDAF was not used for personal services but used to purchase services for the delivery of various forms of social interventions. If you remove the service providers who deliver the project to the target clientele you deprive the clients of needed professional services.

Under the DSWD guideline, PDAF is an appropriation allocated for members of Congress to augment the funding of priority programs and projects to address the needs of the vulnerable groups such as women, children, youth, students, Senior Citizens, persons with disabilities including victims of calamities by providing them better opportunities to participate in the development process. All PDAF funds with the DSWD are disbursed in accordance with prescribed guidelines.

Sgd. DIR. TEODULO R. ROMO, JR., MNSA, CESO III
Director IV
Department of Social Welfare and Development
Field Office VII