With Christmas and New Year less than 40 days away, Metro Cebu police will have their hands full trying to deal with street carolers especially the underaged variety that can be seen hanging around passenger jeepneys and other accessible public utility vehicles (PUVs).
The seriousness of this perennial problem can be seen in last Thursday’s roundup of 60 street kid carolers in Cebu City alone.
Of that number, about 12 minors were spotted singing Christmas carols and begging for alms from jeepney passengers in the Carbon market area.
When talking about kid carolers, it is understood that these refer to the street kids and not those children who sing carols outside of homes for money but have parents to go home to.
While it can be said that a lot of these street kid carolers may be asking money to support themselves, there had been persistent reports that these children are being used by adults not necessarily their parents to beg for money from strangers and given scraps for their efforts.
Though ordinances such as an anti-mendicancy law and a curfew for minors were already in effect, local enforcement had been lacking and not just due to lack of personnel and resources.
This point was made obvious by Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella who called on barangay officials and their people to help enforce the ordinances aimed at curbing mendicancy in their communities.
Though minors are easy targets, it is good to know that Cebu City police had been careful so far in dealing with them as all underaged carolers were turned over to social workers for custody.
The problem lies whenever they are released from the social welfare office when they are likely to return to their old ways, thus inconveniencing both commuters and the police who are hard pressed enough as it is chasing after illegal drug suspects.
And we’re not even talking about the adult carolers who pose more trouble and inconvenience to motorists and commuters alike.
Granted, one can sympathize and even be moved to help them out but it won’t make their numbers any lower than it already is and may even embolden them to take chances and beg for alms even during the middle of traffic.
We understand that there is a task force in place at City Hall to help street children and Councilor Margot Osmeña, wife of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, always had a soft spot for them.
May City Hall and other local Cebu officials come up with better programs and secure support from their stakeholders in order to reduce the number of mendicants who should be made to help themselves rather than be contented to beg for help.