MCPO, TEAM told to strictly enforce anti-mendicancy ordinance

Beggars are seen at the intersection of Pope John Paul II Avenue and S. Osmeña Road in Cebu City in this photo taken on June 5, 2016. | CDN File photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – A Mandaue City Councilor wants a city ordinance that prohibits begging in public places and business establishments strictly enforced to especially avoid road accidents from happening.

In a resolution that she authored and which the City Council passed during their regular session on Monday, May 13, Councilor Jennifer Del Mar asked the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) and the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (TEAM) t0 ensure the implementation of City Ordinance No. 12-2011-639.

The legislation entitled an “Ordinance Prohibiting and Penalizing the Giving To and Soliciting By Mendicants of Cash or Any Material Goods in Public Places and Commercial Establishment and Creating the Anti-Mendicancy Board”, was passed in 2011.

READ: Mandaue execs ready measures to keep beggars, badjaos, deranged persons off the streets

Violators of the ordinance will be issued a citation ticket and shall pay the fine of P200 or render community service for eight hours.

READ: Mandaue to strictly enforce Anti-Mendicancy ordinance

“Nakita namo sa kadalanan ba, nag anam na pod sila og kadaghan. Before man gud atoa na na sila giuli pero nangbalik na sad sila. Unya sa ila’ng kadaghan last time naay hapit gyud maligsi,” Del Mar said.

READ: Public warned: Don’t give alms to beggars on Cebu City streets or you will be apprehended, fined

“Kana bitaw mangayo sila sa dalan unya naay times nga mosaka sila sa jeep, mohatag og solicitation letter, mao lang na amo gilikayan nga madisgrasya sila sa dalan,” she added.

Anti-mendicancy

Del Mar said that most of these beggars are not from the Mandaue City.

While MCPO and TEAM strictly enforce the anti-mendicancy ordinance, Del Mar is urging the public to refrain from giving money to mendicants to discourage them from proliferating on city streets.

Meanwhile, a second resolution that she authored was also passed during the City Council’s regular session on Monday.

In her second resolution, Del Mar sought the strict implementation of an existing ordinance that prohibits dispatching and the presence of “watch you car boys” on the streets.

Del Mar said that their presence on the streets pose traffic hazards and may result to accidents.