Marcos EO simplifies accreditation for donee institutions

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has issued an executive order streamlining the accreditation system for donee institutions to improve the delivery of social welfare and development services to Filipinos in need.

Under Executive Order (EO) No. 117, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) was designated as the sole accrediting entity for social welfare and development agencies (SWDAs).

SWDA refers to a non-stock, non-profit corporation, organization, or association engaged in providing social welfare and development programs and services and obtains its finances from any government agency, instrumentality, or community by direct or indirect solicitations and other fund-generating activities, as authorized by law.

The new EO amended Executive Order No. 720 issued in 2008, which previously assigned the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) as the government’s partner in the accreditation process.

With the new policy, the DSWD’s Certificates of Registration and Accreditation shall be recognized by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for granting donee-institution status.

The Department of Finance (DOF), through the BIR, and the DSWD were also directed to issue the necessary rules and regulations to ensure the effective implementation of the order.

All SWDAs that held donee-institution status prior to the issuance of the EO shall keep their status until their current accreditation expires. After that, they need to apply for accreditation with the DSWD.

The EO was signed on May 7, 2026 by Acting Executive Secretary Ralph Recto on behalf of the President. —VAL, GMA News