NGOs urged to apply for accreditation
The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved a resolution calling on all people’s organizations (POs), non-government organizations (NGOs) or institutions in the city to apply for accreditation with the city government.
The resolution tasked the research division of the city council to evaluate the applications for accreditation filed by interested POs and NGOs pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular No. 2022-083 in the meantime that there is no Civil Society Organization (CSO) Desk officer pending the approval of the proposed ordinance that seeks to institutionalize a People’s Council in the city and establishing a Civil society Organization Desk for the purpose.
The resolution stipulated that the city government recognizes the important role of sectoral or people’s organizations and non-governmental organizations in the delivery of basic services to all constituents, particularly the marginalized sectors of the society or the so-called urban poor.
For the period July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022, there were 51 POs and NGOs accredited by the local legislative body representing different sectors in the city covering the areas of health, environment, land and other equally important concerns.
According to the resolution, the POs or NGOs involved in various endeavors should be identified and be accredited by the city government as its partners in facilitating implementation and monitoring of related activities pursuant to Section 34 of Republic Act (RA) 7160 otherwise known as the Local government Code of 1991 which states that local government units shall promote the establishment and operation of people’s and non-governmental organizations to become active partners in the pursuit of local autonomy.
Section 4.2 of DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2022-083 dated June 15, 2022, states that within the first week of August, the Sanggunian concerned shall issue a notice of call for accreditation to all the CSOs listed in the final updated directory of CSOs, whether previously accredited or seeking accreditation for the first time, through the conduct of a CSO conference that shall be conducted by the local government unit.
Moreover, the MC stipulated that the Sanggunian concerned shall also see to it that within the first week of August, copies of the notice of call for accreditation are prominently posted in at least 3 conspicuous places within the municipality, city or province. The same shall also be posted in the LGU website, social or print media if applicable. – Dexter A. See
