The Cordillera Connection (TCC), a registered Charity in the United Kingdom with Charity Number 152344, with its Philippines subsidiary, The Cordillera Binnadangan Connection (TCBCI/ TCC-Philippines) with SEC Registration Number CN201325517, hereby calls for support from DSWD- CAR and La Trinidad, Benguet for fast issuance of future permits applied for Concert For Life Series being regularly conducted for its chronically-ill beneficiaries.
Backgrounder:
TCC-United Kingdom and TCC-Philippines, with the support of its chapters and volunteers in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Canada, USA, Israel, KSA, and other locations overseas have been organising Concert For Life Series since 2012. From its 1st Concert up to the 20th, a total of more than Php3,200,000.00 have been raised for the benefit of its chronically-ill beneficiaries. These events have been funded by TCC and its volunteers for free. The funds are all sourced out from volunteers overseas who pledged to support the charitable initiative, no funds are being provided nor requested from any third party funding agencies. Talents and Performers on these concerts are also provided for free by local bands and solo talents such as Andrew Paulino, Jon Sawac and Kultura Band, Margaret Locano and others. Some operational needs are also provided by loyal sponsors such as Moira Franchesca Gabiola and other parties who have been helpful to the cause. On this premise, under the leadership of its President, BSU Professor Gregorio C. Taag, TCC have submitted to a commitment that not a single centavo will be collected back from proceeds raised from the concerts. All funds generated from these concerts are all taken by beneficiaries for their medical treatments. In simple terms, beneficiaries are given out tickets to sell on their own initiative with the support of their families, relatives and friends. Beneficiaries keep whatever they have sold and only inform TCC of the figures for monitoring and documentation purposes.
TCC’s Call for Support:
TCC’s more than a hundred beneficiaries mostly suffering from long-term chronic ailments such as kidney disorder and cancer are continuously seeking support and thereby prompts a sustained planning and organising of Concert For Life Series. Having been a model in setting standards in organising charitable events, TCC promptly applies permit for each concert event from DSWD- La Trinidad Office, now DSWD-CAR to cover beneficiaries that originate as well as sell tickets Cordillera-wide. In an unanticipated past instances, organisers comprised by TCC scholars and volunteers, are being met with huge amount of requirements and paper works, such as:
- Financial Statements (FS) of past concerts signed by all beneficiaries. Even with the desire and voluntary submission to comply, this requirement is impossible to achieve in due time noting the huge numbers of beneficiaries with their respective medical conditions. Roughly, it will take more than 2-3 weeks before all beneficiary signatures can be completed. It will mean then that it will take up to a month before a permit will be issued from the date of application. Obviously, this won’t allow benficiaries to have enough time to successfully sell their tickets. The Concert for Life Events are needed by beneficiaries almost every 2 months. Requiring organisers to comply with such requirement will defeat the purpose of providing windows of opportunities for beneficiaries to get supported in times that they need and require funds for their treatments. Can this documentation rather be undertaken and collected by DSWD on their own initiative and expense and not make it as a requirement for the permit? TCC volunteers are not paid to do such and are focused on charity works. TCC do not have the resources to follow each beneficiaries on their own homes or on the hospitals where they are admitted just for the purpose of collecting their signatures as evidence of confirmation of the information provided on the financial statement. TCC’s time and resources are valuable, not to be spent on such documentations. TCC would like to suggest that it will rather be allowed to provide notarized FS instead of requiring it signed by all beneficiaries. This method will entail TCC’s legal obligation on the truthfulness of the information provided on its financial statement. Also, in TCC’s own view, it is best to require an annual financial Statement at the end of the year not for each concert.
- Fees. With the increasing numbers of beneficiaries, operating expenses also increases. These are expenses on sound systems, venue hire, tickets and poster printing, and others. Even with the desire of volunteers to pledge to support the initiative, TCC’s fund is subjected for exhaustion considering the fact that no funds are being regenerated. The fees being required by DSWD is another pain that TCC and its beneficiaries are subjected to endure. With the desire to help the beneficiaries to whom the government agency itself is bound to support, can we rather suggest for partnership and work together for the beneficiaries’ welfare and perhaps be given due consideration on these fees? Can it be considered that TCC is doing a charity work, not a business establishment?
- Other Numerous Documents. Despite the fact that TCC is registered with SEC and has its pertinent legal documents, volunteers and organisers are being required to provide various documents for the issuance of permit. Being aware of the Honorable President Rodrigo Duterte’s policy on the eradication of bureaucracy and red tape, TCC community and its beneficiaries are appealing that document requirements be simplified. TCC is geared towards the welfare of its beneficiaries, not spending resources and time on documents.
- Act of Mistrust. It is a sad instance that TCC scholars and volunteers processing the permit of one of the past concerts were offended by a DSWD-La Trinidad Staff by stating that the Financial Statements and Photos produced by TCC are scripted. Apparently, the staff stated that it is just so easy to take photos of monies being awarded to beneficiaries. The same staff even questioned the truthfulness of the amount or figures raised on the past concerts. Can this DSWD- La Trinidad Staff take responsibility and be sensitive enough in stating such arguments please? TCC is a genuine charity organisation and do not deserve such act of mistrust. We are not paid, and we do not gain from our noble works. Our scholars and volunteers deserve respect and dignity.
TCC beneficiaries, volunteers and talented performers are calling for DSWD-CAR and La Trinidad to support its charity works, with the utmost importance, its Concert for Life series.
Signatures of TCC volunteers, beneficiaries, sponsors and supporters will be reflected thru the comments on this letter. Therefore, in view of protecting the respect and dignity due for TCC Community, its beneficiaries and volunteers and everyone supporting this call are hereby ask to indicate their names, age and location on the comment box provided below this letter.
Very Truly Yours,
TCC-United Kingdom, TCBCI/ TCC-Philippines, TCC- Hong Kong, TCC- Malaysia, TCC-Montreal/ Canada, TCC Volunteers Overseas, TCC Beneficiaries, TCC Scholars, Local Bands and Talents, TCC Sponsors
THE CORDILLERA CONNECTION 