106 Filipino groups asked to stop activities in Dubai

News UAE

106 Filipino groups asked to stop activities in Dubai

At least 106 Filipino social and community organisations in Dubai have been advised by the Philippine Consulate-General (PCG) to "cease and desist their events and activities" for lack of Community Development Authority (CDA) accreditation.

In a letter sent by Philippine Consul-General Paul Raymund Cortes to various Filipino organisations last week, he said: "The PCG in Dubai wishes to remind ALL Filipino community organisations that as per the UAE law, operating (staging events and activities) without approval of Dubai's CDA shall be subject to local laws and regulations.

"Therefore, I advise all community organisations to cease and desist their events and activities including online presence and social media interactions unless they are duly recognised and accredited by the CDA," he stressed.

According to Khaleej Times, Cortes said there are at least 106 organisations that are recognised by the PCG and none of them is registered with the CDA.

Established in July 2008, by a decree of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the CDA "is responsible for implementing and managing a social development system to regulate and license all social service providers in Dubai".

Cortes said: "I was called in a meeting by the CDA and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC). It shows how serious the government is in regulating various organisations in line with Dubai's vision of ensuring social welfare and quality services for the general public."

He added: "This is not an order from the consulate. My advice stems from strict compliance of the UAE law. In fact this law has been there for a long time and, sad to say, we did not comply with it."

Cortes also said that as per the request by the MoFAIC and the CDA, the PCG "will also cease issuing any certificate of recognition to any community organisation and all certificates of recognition that have been issued since are henceforth revoked".

Filipino community leaders said that their social and community engagements will definitely suffer.

Ace Quijada, Triskelion International-UAE chairman, said: "Our social projects will be affected. We are only a volunteer group. For an organisation to register with the CDA, you need to pay licence fee plus you need to rent an office. But we should abide by the law."

Quijada said their activities such as giving aid to distressed overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) or providing free crash course on developing computer skills will be put on hold.

Dubai resident Yuri Cipriano said: "I agree that there has to be a regulation and transparency, which are the aims of the CDA, but there is also cost involved in complying with the registration which the PCG, can perhaps, subsidise."

However, Cortes clarified that the PCG cannot provide financial subsidy to any organisations based in a foreign country. "Our budget at the PCG comes from the national government in Manila and there is a strict divide between the consulate and community funds. They are strictly earmarked, as per the Philippine laws, for distressed Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). What we can provide is collaboration and assistance in providing proper documentation."

Meanwhile, Milo Torres, a Filipino community leader, said: "Filipino organisations can just hire an events company to conduct their activities. But this will become a commercial activity, with licences required from the economic department, and the organisations cannot brandish their names."

HOW TO REGISTER WITH THE CDA
>Civil society organisation social club licence

Any association or league or organisation that has the capacity of continuity and includes a group of individuals for the purposes of practising any activity or different activities, and is targeting the public benefit and not targeting generating profit has to apply for a civil society organisation licence.

Requirements

>Fill Civil Society Organisation licence application.

>List of board of directors from 5 to 9 and attach passport copies and copy of Emirates ID for each.

>List of founding members not less than 10, provided that two of them are UAE nationals

>Licence Fee: Dh2,020

>Licensing of social professionals

Any professional who wishes to provide social care services within the Emirate of Dubai has to apply for this service.

Professionals include: Social Worker, counsellor, therapist; special education teacher;

Requirements

>CDA Application form.

>2 passport size photographs

>Copy of valid passport with valid residence visa for non-citizens