Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday, July 5 defended the agency’s decision to release a cease and desist order (CDO) against Gentle Hands Inc., citing the failure of the orphanage to comply with the minimum standards for residential facilities for children.
Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian attends the Committee on Women, Family Relations, and Gender Equality inquiry on the cease and desist order issued against Gentle Hands Inc. (GHI) Orphanage on Wednesday, July 5, 2023. (Senate PRIB Photo)
Gatchalian, a former Valenzuela City mayor and representative, said GHI was afforded due process of law before they issued the order.
The DSWD chief pointed this out during the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality’s inquiry into the reason why the orphanage was shut down by the agency.
“Their (GHI) accolades are very good, but sometimes people get relaxed and my point is when I did the spot check, imminent danger was there,” Gatchalian told the panel presided by Sen. Risa Hontiveros.
“Also, yung sinasabing nagkataon lang dumating ako dun na walang (their claim that it was only a coincidence that I came into the orphanage without seeing any) house parent? That’s a recipe for disaster,” he pointed out.
Gatchalian pointed out that a 100 plus children running around the facility minimally supervised by an adult is dangerous especially since there are no side window or door for every single room inside the center.
“The grills could not be opened and there is no manual way to get out in case of a fire,” the DSWD secretary reiterated, adding that GHI can only accommodate 50 people in the building based on the recommendation of the Quezon City Building Department.
Freddie Ilagan, chief investigation and Adjudication Division of the QC Building Department, also clarified that the building permit issued to GHI was for a three-storey plus roofdeck plan. However, GHI officials built another level making it a four-storey building with a roofdeck.
“From 2017, we asked them to comply with the law, to respect our rules, our ordinances, and the law but they haven’t,” Ilagan said in response to a question by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
Gatchalian defended the QC Building Department’s decision not to give the GHI the necessary building permit, since the orphanage has not yet even complied with a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate or FSIC.
According to Gatchalian, the orphanage was issued a CDO three times and were asked to consider the recommendations by the local government but GHI refused to heed the call.
He also insisted that “due diligence” took place on the part of the DSWD when they conducted the surprise visit and moved out the more than 200 orphans under the care of the GHI.
The DSWD chief also noted the lack of documentation GHI has on the number of children that are in their custody.
However, GHI’s legal counsel Karina Liggayu insisted that the orphanage ready to comply with the DSWD’s requirements so they can get back the orphans that were taken from them.
But Liggayu urged the DSWD to consider its demand to fix the building structure since this would entail about P9.2-million. According to the lawyer, the GHI building will soon be demolished since it is standing in a location that is part of a subway project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).
“We just want the children to come home and we would be willing to cooperate and do whatever is necessary to comply with the requirements of the DSWD. We are willing to enter into a compromise,” Liggayu said.