Department of Social

Welfare and Development

 Orientation on the Accreditation of
Civil Society Organizations as
Implementing and/or Beneficiary
Entities of Government or Public Funds
 Background 01
2

Date Date Published in Effectivity Date

Documents Approved the Newspaper

DBM-COA-DSWD JR 2014-001 “Guidelines for the December December 29, January 15,
Accreditation of Civil Society Organizations as 29, 2014 2014 2015
Implementing Entities of Government or Public
Funds”
DSWD MC No. 5 S2015 “Implementing Procedures April 07, Immediately
for the Accreditation of CSOs as Implementing 2015
Entity/ies of Government or Public Funds”
DBM-COA-DSWD JR 2015-001 “Supplemental November December 29, January 09,
Guidelines for the Accreditation of Civil Society 27, 2015 2015 2016
Organizations”
 Legal Bases
1987 Constitution, Article II, Section 23:
“the State shall encourage non-governmental, community-
based or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the
nation”.
RA 7160, Sections 34 and 35
(Local Government Code of the Philippines):
• Mandate the LGUs to promote the establishment and
operation of POs and NGOs to become active partners in
nation building.
 Legal Bases
Section 66 of 2014 GAA and Section 68 of 2015 GAA:
• Mandate the DSWD to accredit legitimate CSOs to be
recipients, beneficiaries or implementing entities of
government or public funds.
• Also directs the DBM, COA and DSWD in consultation with
other agencies to jointly issue guidelines for the accreditation
of legitimate CSOs.
Section 61 of 2016 GAA
 General Principles
1. Accreditation of legitimate CSOs that are reputable, qualified
and capable.
2. Only accredited CSOs may participate in the Government
Agency’s process in selecting CSOs to implement programs or
projects using government or public funds.
3. Government Agency's shall select CSOs which are duly
accredited by the DSWD.
4. The DSWD shall recognize and harness the vital role of
Government Agency's through their designated CSO focal
persons.
 Coverage
The guidelines shall cover CSOs that would be engaged by GAs as
implementing entity and beneficiary CSOs to implement or co-
implement programs using public funds.

The guidelines shall cover only the accreditation of CSOs. The

selection of CSOs by GAs, the actual transfer of funds, shall be the
subject of separate guidelines to be issued by COA and GPPB.
Criteria for Accreditation of Implementing CSOs
Must have operated, for at least three (3) years prior to the date of
1 application for accreditation in the Geographical Area(s) of Activity and
Technical Area(s) of Activity being applied for accreditation.
Must not have any director, trustee, officer or key personnel related within the fourth civil
degree of consanguinity or affinity to any DSWD official involved in the processing of its
2 accreditation, or any official of the GAs funding or implementing the program or the project to
be implemented by the CSO.

3 Must be in good standing with all GAs from which it has received funds.

4 Must not be in default or delay in liquidating any funds received from any
GA.
 Criteria for Accreditation of Beneficiary CSOs

Must be organized and composed of individuals directly affected by the

1
problem or crisis.

2 Must have undergone social preparation specific to the proposed project.

3 Must be in good standing with all GAs from which it has received funds.

4 Must not be in default or delay in liquidating any funds received from any GA.
Process/Steps in the application for Accreditation
of Implementing CSO
Step Process Remarks
No.
1 Filing of documents by • Central Office application either through walk-in
the CSO (hand-delivered)
• Application form
• Applicable documentary requirements
2 Initial Desk Review by the • Review of submitted documents as to completeness
CO (3days) and substance.
• If incomplete, to be returned to CSO
• If complete, proceed to validation and posting
• Verification from the concerned GAs
Process/Steps in the application for Accreditation
of Implementing CSO
Step Process Remarks
No.
3 Validation by the FO • To determine the legitimacy and physical existence
(5days) of the CSO, its operations of programs/projects
implemented in relation to the technical expertise
and geographical areas of coverage.
• To engage/interview key informants from the CSO,
LGUs, beneficiaries and other concerned groups.

Posting by the CSO and • DSWD CO and FO websites. Public Notice on any
FO (10days) information (positive/negative) on the applicant
CSO.
Process/Steps in the application for Accreditation
of Implementing CSO
Step Process Remarks
No.
4 Preparation of reports • Consolidation of information gathered from the
(Assessment and Field Office/s and from the first-hand documents
Abstract) (5days)
5 Deliberation of Applicant • Presentation and evaluation of facts and other
CSOs by the Accreditation significant information based on the criteria and
Committee (5days) documentary requirements submitted.
• Recommendation for approval or denial of
application for accreditation.
• Recommendation for deferment of application
Process/Steps in the application for Accreditation
of Implementing CSO
Step Process Remarks
No.
6 Final action/decision by • Re-evaluation and decision for approval or denial of
the Secretary (3days) the application for Accreditation of CSO.
7 Issuance of Certificate of • Issuance of COA to the CSO at the CO or FO
Accreditation to the CSO • Issuance of DSWD letter to CSO and copy furnished
with other pertinent GA concerned if application is approved.
communications. • Issuance of DSWD letter only to CSO if the
application is denied
 Comparison in the application for Accreditation
of Beneficiary and Implementing CSO
Step
No.
Beneficiary CSO Implementing CSO
1 Filing of documents by the CSO at Filing of documents by the CSO at the CO
the FO
2 Initial Desk Review by the FO Initial Desk Review by the CO (3days)
(3days)
3 Validation by the FO (5days) and Validation by the FO (5days) and
Posting by the CSO and FO (10days) Posting by the CSO and FO (10days)
4 Preparation of reports (Assessment) Preparation of reports (Assessment and
by the FO for submission to CO Abstract) (5days)
 Comparison in the application for Accreditation
of Beneficiary and Implementing CSO
Step
No.
Beneficiary CSO Implementing CSO
5 Deliberation of Applicant CSOs by Deliberation of Applicant CSOs by the
the Accreditation Committee Accreditation Committee (5days)
(5days)
6 Final action/decision by the Final action/decision by the Secretary
Secretary (3days) (3days)
7 Issuance of Certificate of Issuance of Certificate of Accreditation to
Accreditation to the CSO with other the CSO with other pertinent
pertinent communications. communications.
 Coverage and Validity
Coverage:

• A Certificate of Accreditation shall cover only the Geographical Area(s) of

Activity and Technical Area(s) of Activity/Expertise specifically stated
therein.

Validity:

• A Certificate of Accreditation issued to both Implementing CSOs and

Beneficiary CSOs shall be valid only for a period of three (3) years from
the date of issuance, unless sooner revoked in accordance with the
provisions. In no case shall the period of validity of a Certificate of
Accreditation be extended.
 Continuing Verification and Reporting
Spot Checks:
• DSWD (AC, Secretariat and/or FO) may conduct unannounced spot-checks on accredited CSOs
to validate the veracity of any statement or information submitted by the CSO during its
application and implementation of programs or projects.

Reporting:
• Every Accredited CSO that enters into agreement with a GA involving the transfer of
government or public funds shall submit to the Accreditation Committee a copy of said
agreement within three (3) working days from entering into the same;
• Every GA shall submit to the AC copies of all agreements involving the transfer of pubic funds
entered into with CSOs during the preceding month, within the first three (3) working days of
every month;
• Any GA that comes into knowledge of any fact that may constitute a ground for the revocation
of the Certificate of Registration of a CSO shall immediately report the same to the AC.
• Every Accredited CSO shall submit to the AC and annual accomplishment report, a financial
report certified under oath by the Chairperson or Treasurer, and a report of all material changes
and updates on accreditation documents already submitted.
 Publication

The DSWD shall maintain in its website, update daily,

and make accessible to the public, the following:

List of CSOs
List of CSOs List of whose List of
Certificates of
applying for accredited Accreditation blacklisted
accreditation. CSOs. have been CSOs.
revoked
 Revocation of Accreditation
Grounds for Revocation:

• Misrepresentation in, or falsification of, any document submitted in support of the application
for accreditation of the CSO.
• Failure by the CSO, during the validity period of the COA, to comply with the TOR stated on an
agreement with a GA involving the transfer of government or public funds, including default or
delay in liquidating any funds received from any GA.
• Violation by the CSO, during the validity period of the CoA, of any law, rule or regulation
involving the use of government or public funds received from a GA.
• Bankruptcy or insolvency of the CSO.
• Revocation, cancellation or expiration of the principal or any secondary registration of the CSO,
or of any material license or permit required by the CSO to operate.

Revocation proceedings:

• Initiation > Explanation > Hearing > Recommendation > Resolution.

 Disqualification and Blacklisting
If the ground for The foregoing
the revocation is shall be without
A CSO whose CoA misrepresentation
prejudice to any
or falsification or A CSO whose CoA
is revoked for the other legal action
violation of any law, is revoked for the
first time shall be that may be
rule or regulation second time shall
disqualified from involving the use of taken against the
be blacklisted and
applying for government or CSO, and/or any
public funds, the perpetually or all of its
accreditation for a
CSO shall be disqualified from incorporators,
period of one (1) blacklisted and applying for organizers,
year from the perpetually
disqualified from accreditation directors,
date or revocation trustees, officers
applying for
accreditation or key personnel.
 Maraming
salamat po!