Over 1,300 mendicants rescued in Cebu City

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Board   has rescued 1,352 mendicants from July 2013 to June 2014.

According to the annual accomplishment report of CCAMB, which was requested by the City Council’s Committee on Social services, of the total 1,352 mendicants rescued, 745 mendicants were identified as Badjaos, while 607 were Christians.

“Due to the closure of the Dweller’s House (Citi Center) effective March 19, 2014, the dwellers were assisted on their transfer to their rented houses and to Block 27 where some was temporarily relocated,” the report stated.

Of the total number of rescued mendicants, 595 were children, 471 adults, 71 senior citizens and 116 street dweller families. Also, the CCAMB were able to rescue 99 mentally-challenged mendicants. 

CCAMB defines mendicancy as a social phenomenon that affects highly urbanized cities in the Philippines, including Cebu City.

According to their report, mendicancy creates traffic hazards, public nuisance and exposes them to indignities and degradation.

With this, the board aims to minimize, if not eradicate, mendicancy in Cebu City.

Betty Ganub of CCAMB earlier admitted though that it is not easy to solve the rampant mendicancy problem in the city.

“Daghan man kaayo ta og dapat i-consider and usahay sa atong pagpanakop, mohawa gyod sila sa ilang gihigdaan sa dalan pero inig hawa pod nato, mobalik ra gihapon,” she said, adding that the board continues to extend mitigating efforts with the increasing number of mendicants in the city.

The report includes the board’s programs and services to the mendicants such as the food for work program, capability building or skills and livelihood trainings and the “balik probinsiya”, as well as referral services like consultations, free medicines and laboratories or x-ray, institutional placement of abandoned or neglected patient, Gasa sa Gugma, Missionaries of the Poor, among others.

The anti-mendicancy board’s mandate is stated in City ordinance 1840 and City ordinance 2293, which included the creation of the CCAMB.

The legal basis of CCAMB falls under provisions of City Ordinance Nos. 303 and 1631, an ordinance that prohibits and penalizes mendicancy.  (FREEMAN)