A filthy, unregistered care facility for the elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Maramag town was shut down by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Saturday after operating unchecked for the past three years.

The facility, run by the Bukidnon Multi-Sectoral Services Foundation Inc. (BUMSSEFI) and located on a 600-square-meter property in Barangay North Poblacion, had long been an “open secret” in the town, residents said.

Lian Santiago, a staff member of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWD), said their team was repeatedly misled during inspections.

“Every time we conducted inspections, they showed us a Securities and Exchange Commission certificate posted on the wall. Because of that, we thought the foundation was legal,” Santiago said.

She added that their office only issued warnings, instructing the owners not to accept clients. However, the foundation continued to secretly take in patients despite the orders.

During Saturday’s operation, DSWD-10, together with local police and the MSWD, rescued 17 senior citizens and PWDs who were found in dirty, unkempt rooms under squalid conditions.

SQUALID. A small, dingy room at the Bukidnon Multi-Sectoral Services Foundation Inc. (BUMSSEFI) care facility in Maramag town shows a single bed placed beside a toilet, reflecting the unsanitary and cramped conditions found by the Department of Social Welfare and Development during a recent inspection. Photo courtesy of DSWD-10

The team was met with a strong stench of human waste and urine upon entering the facility.

According to Santiago, the families of the patients were reportedly paying the foundation P6,000 to P7,000 per month for care and medical support — even though the facility had no licensed doctors, nurses, or caregivers.

She said the facility’s owner, identified as Myrna Sun, would often visit the MSWD to ask for medicines or medical advice.

Former town official Felix Vergara said the facility’s illegal operation was widely known but ignored.

“Everyone knew about it. It was openly discussed in the municipal hall, but nobody lifted a finger to stop it,” Vergara said.

Barangay Chairman John Andre Lalaan of North Poblacion said residents frequently complained about the situation.

“They could hear the patients shouting that they were hungry, and the stench from the facility reached nearby houses,” Lalaan said, adding that the owner repeatedly promised to fix the problems but never did.

Authorities said the rescued individuals are now under the care of the DSWD while an investigation into the foundation’s operations continues.