(Eagle News)—–Senator Leila de Lima is proposing a law that will regulate public solicitations and impose stiff penalties for any misuse of funds collected by solicitors.
Senate Bill (SB) No. 2014, which repeals what she said was the antiquated Act. No. 4075, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 156, also seeks to “institutionalize the issuance of temporary solicitation permits to individuals or organizations needing aid in times of natural or human-induced calamities or disasters.”
“Reported abuses in the conduct of solicitation activities bring to the forefront the need for regulation of organizations, agencies, groups and individuals in order to protect the general public from unscrupulous individuals,” she said.
Under the measure, individuals or organizations shall be held liable if they solicit without securing a solicitation permit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, the City Social Welfare and Development Office, or the Municipal Social Welfare Development Office.
Among the other banned acts include soliciting beyond the area of coverage as specified in the approved solicitation permit, using a falsified or tampered permit, and using solicited funds for purposes other than those indicated in the application form.
“Any individual, organization or agency who commits any of the prohibited acts shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than three years or a fine of not less than ₱100,000 but not more than ₱500,000, or both at the discretion of the court,” a statement issued by her office said.
If the offender is a foreigner, the offender shall be deported and barred permanently from entering the country after he or she serves his or her sentence.
