Implementing Guidelines on the Setting up of Donor's Desk

July 22, 2003

DSWD ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 068-03

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES ON THE SETTING UP OF DONOR'S DESK

I. RATIONALE:

The Department of Social Welfare and Development, being a lead agency in social welfare and development, one of its new role and function is capability building and augmentation support to local government units (LGU), non-government organization (NGOs) and people's organization (POs) in times of disasters and emergencies.

The government is doing its role in augmenting support for affected families, individuals and communities in times of disasters and emergency situations. Various disasters and crisis that visit our country yearly depletes our country's resources, however, various donors have extended their support to the government.

Deportation/Repatriation is considered among the various disaster response augmentation of the Department and some NGOs.

Overseas work has become a way of life for many Filipinos, gradually making the Philippine known for its manpower complement. Recent data at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) shows that in the year 2002, a total of 678,108 Filipinos are working in different countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, America, Africa, Oceania and other Thrust Territories.

Reports, however, of the POEA's Labor Assistance Center on the actual departures of OFWs at the International Airport revealed that a total 891,908 Filipinos left the country to work abroad. This discrepancy in the reported number of OFWs is alarming as it highlights undocumented Filipinos abroad. This was clearly manifested during the recent massive deportation of undocumented Filipino from Sabah, Malaysia. Although overseas workers are accorded recognition by our country as "Bagong Bayani ng Bayan", their remittances being highest source of dollar revenue in our country, welfare services for the OFWs are quite limited.

Aside from the massive deportation and repatriation of our OFWs, the government is also confronted with disasters, both natural, man-made and complex, such as the on-going conflict in Mindanao that has further aggravated our country's economic situation. It is being torned by armed conflict and the persistence of lawless elements, resulting to loss of lives and properties. On January 21, 2003, a total number of 83,806 families/423,240 persons were affected. Recently, the number of affected families was reduced to 33,414/161,833 persons. Houses and properties were damaged, 238 were dead and 184 were injured in the conflict based on July 15, 2003 report of DSWD. aDSIHc

Flood, volcanic eruptions, earthquake are just few of the various disasters which has visited the country and the recent US-IRAQ war. The Department was not spared of the responsibilities in Contingency Planning considering its membership in the Iraq Crisis Management Team (ICMT), Hence, in times of crisis, resources to augment the assistance given by the government are still needed. This is revealed clearly on the on-going crisis in Mindanao. The Department had spent P86,631,954.93, LGUs P10,730,542.10 and NGOs and other GOs P7,706,093.95 totalling to One Hundred Five Million, Sixty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Ninety and Ninety-Eight Pesos (P105,068,590.98).

Coupled with the current budgetary deficits, the above situations call for the collaborative efforts between DSWD, the government's welfare arm, and its stakeholders. Hence, the setting-up of Donor's Desks to intensify the networking capability of DSWD and its prospective donors and to maximize resource and augmentation support of DSWD, is in order.

II. STRATEGY DESCRIPTION:

Donor's Desk provides information, direction and guidance to donors (whether companies, group or individuals) who are willing to augment the government's resources in times of crisis. It also facilitates donations received intended for all individuals, families and communities needing assistance whether cash, material or in kind.

Donations received are maintained and updated accordingly and likewise recorded and accounted for at the Donor's Desk Center of DSWD-Central Office (CO) to be managed by the National Operations Office (NOO).

III. OBJECTIVE:

To advocate, provide direction and responsibilities of the concerned offices/donors in the setting-up of donor's desk, as well as the immediate facilitation of donations for all the affected individuals and families needing assistance.

A.  General:

To institutionalize the establishment and operationalization of a Donor's Desk at the DSWD Central Office to be managed by Special Concerns of the Management Division of NOO. Field Offices can set-up their respective Donor's Desk to facilitate donations received at the Regional level.

B.  Specific:

1. To set up an information center for donors needing data on the number of affected individuals, families, needs and type of donations to be extended to the clients.

2. To strengthen linkages and networking between DSWD Field Offices to the Local Government Units to facilitate prompt and effective delivery of donations.

3. To officially install a national bank account in an authorized government bank such as the LandBank of the Philippines as depository of all cash donations received.

IV. LEGAL BASES:

1. Presidential Decree 1566, states that strengthening the Disaster Coordinating Council at all levels, provides for the provision of immediate, appropriate services to victims of disasters and calamities. This decree sets the organization of Disaster Coordinating Councils. The DSWD is tasked to be a member of the National Disaster Coordinating Council and chairs the National Relief and Rehabilitation Service Committee.

2. Administrative Code of 1987 n, Title XVI, Section 2 of Chapter 1 mandates the DSWD to provide a balanced approach to welfare whereby the needs and interest to the population are addressed not only at the outbreak of crisis but more importantly at the stage which would inexorably lead to such crisis. ETHIDa

3. Executive Order No. 15, series of 1998, Section 1: The DSWD is hereby mandated to provide assistance to Local Government Units (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), other national government agencies (NGAs), people's organizations (POs) and other members of civil society in implementing programs, projects and services that will alleviate poverty and empower disadvantaged individuals, families and communities for an improved quality of life."

4. Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which devolves to the Local Government Units (LGUs) the delivery of basic services. This law also provides for the augmentation by National Government to LGUs when their resources are inadequate to cope with the effects of disasters.

V. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS:

To strengthen the setting up of the Donors Desk, the following shall be included in their respective activities:

A.  Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Office:

1. Formulate policy as basis for FOs program development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

2. Provide technical assistance to FOs to come up with a concrete flow of activities at the Donor's Desk.

3. Act as the over all in charge in donation facilitation.

4. Ensure all cash and in kind donations received are properly accounted for, acknowledged and coordinated with donors and Field Offices.

5. Maintain a current account with Land Bank of the Philippines.

6. Facilitate transfer/delivery of donated goods from the forwarding companies for delivery to Field Offices.

7. Adopt a valuation system on goods received based on the standard monetization guidelines.

8. Maintain a directory of donors with corresponding contact persons.

B. Department of Social Welfare and Development-Field Offices:

1. Conduct continuous advocacy and networking on the program "Operation Tulong" for a particular crisis situation.

2. Ensure all cash and in kind donations received are properly accounted for and acknowledged.

3. Promptly deposit cash donations at Land Bank of the Philippines, the identified official bank of DSWD.

4. Maintain directory of donors with corresponding contact persons.

5. Prepare and submit updated weekly reports to DSWD-National Operations Office on the distribution of donations received from C.O. thus integrating the generated donations at the Regional level.

C.  DONORS (company, group or individuals):

1. Properly coordinate with the DSWD-NOO focal person regarding the cash, material or in kind to be donated.

2. Ask for official receipt of the donated items from the DSWD-NOO focal person. cSEDTC

VI. PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS:

A. Department of Social Welfare and Development-Central Office:

1. Forward the donations to an affected Region except for regions that will receive the goods directly from the National Resource Operation Center located in Villamor Airbase, Pasay City. For regions up North, they will coordinate with Central Office for the NROC bus to deliver their goods. For the Visayas Region to avail of the C-130 of the Philippine Air Force or the Philippine Naval Board, they will coordinate with NDCC, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

2. Consolidate all reports submitted by the Field Offices on the status of donations received from Central Office and donations generated/received from the regional/provincial level.

3. Provide a consolidated report to donors with emphasis on the recipients who benefited from the donations to establish strong partnership.

4. Prepare and submit weekly update to the Honorable DSWD Secretary through the Undersecretary for Operations on donations received and distributed.

B. Department of Social Welfare and Development-Field Offices:

1. Submit weekly updated reports to the DSWD-National Operations Office on the status of the donations received from Central Office and distributed to clients to include in the report the generated goods, cash, material or in kind at the regional level.

2. Provide the donors with a report on the donations distributed to the clients to maintain strong linkages.

3. Coordinate with the NOO focal person of DSWD Central Office in making request for donations.

VII. REPORTING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

Weekly reports on the status of the donations submitted by the Field Offices shall be consolidated by DSWD-National Operations Office and forwarded to the Honorable Secretary through the Undersecretary for Operations. A comprehensive evaluation of the Donor's Desk in Field Offices shall be undertaken on a semestral basis by DSWD-NOO and Field Office focal persons.

This Order takes effect immediately. Any previous orders or guidelines contrary thereto are hereby revoked.

Issued this 22nd of July 2003 in Quezon City.

(SGD.) CORAZON JULIANO-SOLIMANSecretary

n Note from the Publisher: Written as "Administrative Code of 1997" in the original document.