BAGUIO CITY – The City Social Welfare and Development Office is urging all carolers intending to go around the city to carol during the Yuletide season to first secure a permit from the local government before pursuing their fund raising activity.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan said that carolers know it is the policy of the local government to require caroling permits from the local government before they can go around the city to do caroling activities so they must now apply for the issuance of the said permit the soonest.
She added that even individuals and groups who plan to solicit funds for their charity activities are required to secure the mandatory solicitation permit from the local government so that the said activities will be closely monitored to make sure that the purpose of the solicitation activities will be realized.
“The people should learn to request from the carolers and those undertaking the solicitation activities to first present their duly issued permits before doing caroling and solicitation activities,” Fangasan stressed.
Applicants for the issuance of caroling and solicitation permits will be required to pay a fixed amount of P500 to the City Treasury Office for the processing of the said permits that will be issued to the concerned individuals and groups.
The city social welfare and development officer claimed there is a significant increase in the number of individuals and groups doing caroling and solicitation activities during the Yuletide season because of the expectations that people tend to be generous during the Christmas considerate grant of bonuses to workers in the government and the private sector.
According to her, carolers must strictly abide by the conditions stipulated in the permit issued to them for their caroling activities in the stated places in the city.
Under existing rules and regulations, applicants for caroling and solicitation permits must submit to the City Mayor a letter request stating, among others, the duration of their activities, the targeted areas where their activities will be conducted, the purpose on why such caroling and solicitation activities will be undertaken among other facts that need to be stated in the said request.
Fangasan disclosed that the caroling and solicitation permits issued to those requesting for the same will have specific expiration dates and that groups and individuals who were granted the said permits shall also submit a terminal report on how the generated funds were used in compliance with the permits issued.
By Dexter A. See
