BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance setting the guidelines in the accreditation and recognition of civil society organizations (CSOs) as development partners in the city and providing for the duties, responsibilities and benefits of the same.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Isabelo B. Cosalan, Jr. stated that the proposed measure shall apply to all CSOs such as, non-government organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs), indigenous peoples organizations (IPOs), cooperatives, civic organizations, livelihood associations, business organizations, professional organizations, disaster and assistance groups, including social movements based and with established offices in the city, whether their main or branch offices or operating in any area, is under the jurisdiction of the city.
The ordinance is aimed at broadening the participation of the private sector in local governance not only through membership in local government bodies but in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of local government policies, programs, projects and activities.
Further, this will also ensure that government actions are responsive to the people’s general needs, welfare and interest.
The ordinance outlined the qualifications of the CSOs for accreditation with the local government which includes that the CSOs must be duly registered or accredited with any government regulatory agency; has been in operation in the city for at least 1 year; the primary accountable officers or employees of such CSOs shall be bonafide residents and duly registered voters of the city and the said officers and employees have no pending case before any court involving matters of organizational funds and acts contrary to the purposes of the organization; maintains an office in the city, whether as principal, branch or field office and at least 80 percent of the CSOs clients or beneficiaries are residents of the city.
Among the requirements for accreditation include letter requesting for accreditation addressed to the City Vice Mayor and filled-up application for accreditation form with attachments, such as board resolution requesting for accreditation with the local government, and designating the authorized representative, copy of the certificate of registration and general information sheet, proof of payment of annual registration fee, annual report stamped received by the regulatory office concerned or duly certified by the responsible officers, audited financial statement of cooperatives, NGOs, business and professional groups, list of officers and members with their respective addresses, organizational profile, proof of participation to any city government program or activity and endorsement from 2 community leaders in the area of operation of said CSOs or certificate of good standing from the concerned regulatory agency.
The local legislative body, through the proper committee, shall act on the application for accreditation of a CSO as provided for in existing laws, rules and regulations as it may deem necessary wherein the committee may require the submission of additional supporting documents or the appearance of the CSO officers for the further evaluation of the application.
The ordinance added that the LGU-Baguio Employees Association, Inc. and the Baguio City Government Employees Multipurpose Cooperative, as local government-based CSOs, must take the lead in complying
