CIA WITH BA : DEBATE IGNITES OVER PERMIT REQUIREMENT FOR HELPING TYPHOON VICTIMS

CIA with BA’: Debate ignites over permit requirement for helping typhoon victims

“Tutulong ka na lang, kailangan pa ng permit?”

This was a question raised in the ‘Yes or No’ segment of ‘CIA with BA’ Sunday, September 1 episode by Manilyn of the Mariteam as she and her friends plan to collect donations from the public and hold fundraising activities for those affected by the recent typhoons.

“Officially, the answer is ‘Yes,’” said Senator Pia Cayetano.

“Nung [time] ng COVID-19, ang daming naglabasan na fundraising [activities] para makatulong sa tao. Tapos naglabas ang DSWD ng paalala na lahat ng gustong mag-fundraising, kailangan kumuha ng permit. Ang daming umangal na netizens dahil hihingi ka pa ng permit e baka ‘yung sasaklolohan mo e namatay na o baka kung ano nang nangyari. Sa pagkakaalala ko, sinuspend muna pansamantala ‘yung requirement na ‘yan but it is a Presidential Decree na nagsasabing kailangan ng permit,” Ate Pia explained.

“The reason for that is [dahil] may mga mabusado, ‘di ba?” she continued. “Like may mga magsasabing [kahit] ang ganda-ganda nila mag-market ng kanilang organisasyon tapos malalaman mo hindi nakarating [ang mga donasyon]. So tama naman ang DSWD na maging strikto sila doon but I’m still hoping na magkaroon tayo ng way na mas mapadali ‘yan kasi nagiging pahirap sa mga well-meaning citizens naman na gusto automatic makapag-solicit, padala kaagad ng pera sa nabagyuhan, tapos hindi pwede. Pero for now, it’s really what the law requires.”

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano compared this issue to a story in the Bible in which Jesus and His disciples were walking through a grainfield on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to pluck heads of grain to eat. Jesus emphasizes that the Sabbath should not be about strict legalism but rather about meeting human needs and showing mercy.

“Nakikita natin na kahit maganda ‘yung intensyon ng batas, minsan nagbabangga. For example, sa donations, bakit mo pa papahirapan kumuha ng permit? On the other hand, maraming nanloloko o kaya panis [‘yung pagkain] na naibigay, sino’ng hahabulin mo? I’m not saying na in every single situation kailangan may red tape o lahat ng klaseng permit. May purpose din po kasi talaga na maraming regulasyon to protect,” he said.

“It’s really a balancing act so I think, how we transform into a nation that values the law and then ‘yung law naman protects us. ‘Yon ang isang challenge natin,” Kuya Alan added.

For his part, Boy Abunda shared his realization: “Kaya pala may mga amendment ang batas, may mga exemption, kasi habang ginagawa pala ang mga batas, may mga bagay-bagay na hindi pa naco-consider, hindi pa nakikita.”

‘CIA with BA’ continues the legacy of the late Senator Rene Cayetano and airs every Sunday at 11:00 p.m. on GMA7, with replays on GTV the following Saturday at 10:30 p.m.