After thorough grilling: City-based NGO gets Capitol accreditation

CEBU, Philippines – People's organizations and non-government organizations, whose offices are located in Cebu City, may go through quite a long process in seeking accreditation from the provincial government.

The Cebu Provincial Board yesterday approved the renewal of accreditation of the Children's Legal Bureau, but not after several questions raised, especially on why it is seeking accreditation from the Capitol when its office is located in the city.

CLB, a non-stock, non-profit organization, is located at #10 Queen's Road, Camputhaw, Cebu City. It is committed to empower communities in promoting justice for children through legal aid, training, advocacy and networking.

Its services include providing legal services to abused children and children in conflict with the law, providing paralegal trainings to communities and children, policy development and advocacy related to child's rights.

CLB is also organizing Child's Rights Protection Units (CRPU) in Cebu composed of the five pillars of justice in order to address children's issues at the municipality/city level.

CLB acts as the secretariat of the children's NGO Network and is a member of the CATCHWISE (Consortium Against the Trafficking of Children and Women in Sexual Exploitation).

The PB committee on accreditation headed by Board Member Joven Mondigo, Jr. has recommended the renewal of the accreditation of the CLB, Inc. as an NGO of the province of Cebu after its has complied all documents required under the rules on accrediting Pos and NGOs.

CLB board member Archill Niña Capistrano presented to the PB some of their accomplishments including its funding sources from abroad.

PB member Thadeo Ouano however raised the question why CLB applied for accreditation from Capitol when it is based in Cebu City.

PB Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy suggested to CLB to transfer its office in an area under the jurisdiction of Cebu Province such as in Mandaue City to make its services accessible to provincial clients.

Capistrano explained that since the existence of CLB, its accessibility to clients has never been an issue.

PB Member Peter John Calderon countered the suggestion of Sitoy saying that to transfer CLB office in Mandaue City will make it less accessible to clients coming from southern Cebu.

Calderon said that it is also an additional expenditure for CLB to put up another office especially that its operations are being funded through donations from outside sources.

"I don't find anything wrong if their address is in Cebu City," said Calderon, who is the PB majority floor leader.

Mondigo manifested that the office location of a PO and NGO that seek accreditation is not a requirement under the provincial ordinance.

CLB is also one of the active NGO members of the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children, which the NGOs have maximized for its advocacies on children.

CLB also sits in the Task Force Anti-Trafficking under the Provincial Women's Commission.

Also last week, Norfil Foundation, a family and child caring agency, whose office is in Lapu-lapu City, also went through a thorough grilling by members of the PB due to issue on location. Lapu-lapu City is already a highly-urbanized and is lo longer under the jurisdiction of the Province of Cebu.

The PB however later granted its accreditation after the foundation's officials were able to present documents and convinced the Board that its services are not only limited to Lapu-Lapu City residents but also extended to component cities and municipalities of the province. (FREEMAN)