Bill regulating public solicitations up for plenary approval
The House Committee on Social Services has endorsed the plenary approval of a substitute bill seeking to regulate public solicitations.
The House panel, chaired by La Union Rep. Sandra Eriguel approved its committee report on the unnumbered substitute bill seeking to ensure that public solicitations are not being abused by unscrupulous groups and organizations.
The bill substituted House Bill No. 4341, principally authored by Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato. It repeals Act No. 4075, as amended by Presidential Decree 1564, the Solicitation Permit Law.
“This bill aims to protect the general public from the unscrupulous solicitation, thus, establishing the standards and guidelines for organisations, agencies, groups, and individuals undertaking such activities,” Sato said.
She said the proposed Public Solicitation Act also seeks to strengthen the system of granting permits and/ or authorisation to solicit funds and/ or donations from the public for charitable, social, and public welfare purposes.
“It is also the intention of this bill to ensure that solicited funds are properly utilized according to its intended purposes and given its rightful beneficiaries,” she said.
The substitute bill seeks to establish standards and guidelines to strengthen the system of granting permits or authorisation primarily to solicit funds or donations from the public.
Covered by the proposed Act are all national government agencies (NGAs), government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), public schools, local government units (LGUs), and other government agencies, individuals, civil society organizations (CSO) including faith-based organizations, people’s organizations, non-government organizations, academe, associations, and similar organizations, chapters, and affiliates of similar international organizations operating in the Philippines which are partly or fully financed with funds solicited from or contributed by the public or private sector for charitable or public welfare purposes.