Cebu City NGOs asked to show what they did last year

Cebu City Councilor Gerardo Carillo

After the Napoles scandal over pork barrels and fake NGOs, the Cebu City Council is  paying closer attention to   groups seeking accreditation.

Nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs) have to show a report of their accomplishments in 2013 and how they used their funds before they can renew their accreditation this year.

City Hall  deserves to know “what they have done to contribute to  the growth of the city,” said Councilor Gerardo Carillo.

“We have to know what they did with the money that we gave them,” he added.

The city government requires an  annual renewal of accreditation of NGOs and POs that avail of financial support from the city.

“If we reaccredit them, one requirement should be the submission of their accomplishment report.  What are we to expect from them if they will become partners of the city?” Carillo said.

The City Council’s move came after the  July 2013 exposé about how  Janet Napoles used NGOs as conduits  to siphon-off billions of pesos of pork barrel funds for ghost projects.
resolutions

During its Jan. 29 session, Councilors Sisinio Andales, Mary Ann delos Santos and Dave Tumulak endorsed the re-accreditation of the Cebu United Radio and TV Artists, Corp.; the Cebu

City YLAC School Foundation; Crusade Against Violence Visayas, and the Cebu-Citizen’s Involvement and Maturation in People’s Empowerment and Liberation (C-Cimpel) Foundation, Inc.

Also seeking re-accreditation are the Cebu Newspaper Workers Foundation, Inc.; the Feed The Children Philippines, Inc,; and the Association for Children’s Community Reachout and Development, Inc.

The Cebu City Private Sector Organizations Evaluation and Monitoring Board chaired by Andales processes applications for NGO and PO accreditation.

Cenewof, for example, still lacks a certification of no unliquidated funds, from the city accounting office.

GOOD STANDING

C-Cimpel, on the other hand, complied with all  12 requirements for re-accreditation. This includes a duly accomplished application form, certificate of registration and good standing issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), annual accomplishment report, audited financial statement and articles of incorporation among others.

Andales said they  processed the application despite some lacking documents to  hasten the accreditation of NGOs and POs that will also occupy seats in  the City Development Council (CDC) which  will be holding its first quarter meeting soon.

The CDC needs at least  57 NGOs and POs in its membership.

The monitoring board was reorganized in October 2013.

“I do not oppose their accreditation as long as they submit the required reports.  We have to know what they plan to do to be effective partners of the city,” said Carillo.