SECRETARY Rex Gatchalian of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has clarified that a controversial orphanage in Quezon City was padlocked for being a “fire trap” and for several other violations.
Testifying at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender, Gatchalian also cited “imminent danger and the best interest of the children” for the closure of the Gentle Hands Inc. (GHI) orphanage.
Gatchalian dismissed claims that the closure was abrupt and without due process.
According to Gatchalian, the GHI was told thrice to improve its facilities before the cease and desist order (CDO) was issued.
With the CDO, the 127 children and one ‘adult with special needs’ were pulled out from the GHI and transferred to three other facilities.
Aside from alleged violations of the Fire Code, Gatchalian told the Senate panel chaired by Sen. Risa Hontiveros that GHI also committed infractions of the Building Code.
The building permit was only for a three-storey facility, but GHI had four floors.
Gatchalian also noted alleged overcrowding at the orphanage, saying it had a capacity of only 50 children as recommended by the Quezon City building department.
Gatchalian further cited poor ventilation and dirty environment in the orphanage.
“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 pointed out.
He also described as a “recipe for disaster” the GHI’s claim that it was only a coincidence that he came into the orphanage without seeing any house parent.
He told the Senate panel that more than 100 children were running around the facility minimally supervised by an adult was dangerous especially since there were no side windows or doors 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 fire,” he said.
But the GHI lawyer Karina Gay Laggayu said the fourth floor has been used as residence of the facility owners whenever they are in the Philippines.
Freddie Ilagan, chief investigator and head of the Adjudication Division of the QC Building Department, confirmed that the building permit issued to GHI was for a three-storey plus roofdeck plan.
But GHI officials built another level making it a four-storey building with a roof-deck.
“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,” the GHI lawyer said.
She appealed to the DSWD to reconsider its demand to fix the building structure since this would need about P9.2-million.
She also said the GHI building would soon be demolished since it occupies a lot that is part of a subway project of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).