City 'rescues' 96 kids, mendicants at Fuente

The city government rounded up 96 mendicants and street people-36 of them juveniles-from the Fuente Osmeña area the other night, as part of its campaign against mendicancy and rid the streets of these people.

Rezza Boy Omega, information officer of the Office of the Mayor, said the city conducted the operation, or what it termed as "rescue", of street people in compliance with Presidential Decree 1563, which calls for an integrated system to control and eradicate mendicancy.

The law, she said, is based on social justice and protection of life, property and dignity of the people that rampant mendicancy has threatened. Mendicancy breeds crime, creates traffic hazards and endangers health while mendicants are exposed to indignities and degradation.

Omega said the city had taken custody of those street people and took them to the Community Scouts center at the north reclamation area where they would undergo family assessment and counseling.

Omega said the rescue operations came after councilors Augustus Pe Jr. and Gerardo Carillo raised to Mayor Tomas Osmeña the concerns about street people who should be taken off the streets and provided with social services.

Carillo, action officer of the city anti-mendicancy board, said he planned to start a public awareness campaign against mendicancy.

He said he also proposed that all owners, proprietors, managers, and administrators of business establishments would display for public view posters, stickers, and notices on anti-mendicancy ordinance.

"Aside from presence of mendicants in the streets, the public are also still unaware of the anti-mendicancy ordinance as they tolerate such practice in giving money to mendicants," said the councilor.

Under PD 1563, a "mendicant" is any person who has no visible and legal means of support or lawful employment and is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead uses begging as a means of living.

The term "exploited infant or child" refers to an infant or child, eight years old and below, who is used in begging or with a habitual vagrant or beggar.

A "habitual" or "permanent mendicant" refers to one who accompanies a habitual vagrant or beggar.

PD 1563 declares "mendicancy" a criminal liability. It carries a penalty of P500 fine or a maximum imprisonment of two years-for first-time mendicant; a P1000 fine or imprisonment of up to four years-for habitual mendicant. - Garry B. Lao