children within the sixth degree of consanguinity or affinity are excluded from this definition. Article 118. License Required. - No private person, natural or juridical, shall establish, temporarily or permanently, any child welfare agency without first securing a license from the Department of Social Welfare. Such license shall not be transferable and shall be used only by the person or institution to which it was issued at the place stated therein. No license shall be granted unless the purpose of function of the agency is clearly defined and stated in writing. Such definition shall include the geographical area to be served, the children to be accepted for care, and the services to be provided. If the applicant is a juridical person, it must be registered in accordance with Philippine laws. Article 119. Guiding Principles. - The protection and best interests of the child or children therein shall be the first and basic consideration in the granting, suspension or revocation of the license mentioned in the preceding article. Article 120. Revocation or Suspension of License. - The Department of Social Welfare may, after notice and hearing , suspend or revoke the license of a child welfare agency on any of the following grounds: 1. That the agency is being used for immoral purposes; 2. That said agency is insolvent or is not in a financial position to support and maintain the children therein or to perform the functions for which it was granted license; 3. That the children therein are being neglected or are undernourished; 4. That the place is so unsanitary so as to make it unfit for children; 5. That said agency is located in a place or community where children should not be, or is physically dangerous to children or would unduly expose children to crime, vice, immorality, corruption or severe cruelty; or 6. That said agency has by any act or omission shown its incompetence or unworthiness to continue acting as a child welfare agency. During the period of suspension, the agency concerned shall not accept or admit any additional children. In any case, the Department of Social Welfare shall make such order as to the custody of the children under the care of such agency as the circumstances may warrant. The suspension may last for as long as the agency has not complied with any order of the Department of Social Welfare to remove or remedy the conditions which have risen to the suspension. The aggrieved agency may appeal the suspension and/or revocation in a proper court action. In such case, the court shall within fifteen days from the filing of the Department of Social Welfare's answer, conduct a hearing and decide the case, either by lifting the suspension, or continuing it for such period of time as it may order, or by

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