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[av_heading heading=’Begging in Boracay a no-no’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”][/av_heading]
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BORACAY – A local law prohibits begging for food and money in Malay, Aklan, including this world-famous island resort.
Municipal Ordinance No. 354 penalizes anyone who would beg for or give alms.
Primarily the ordinance aims to prevent mendicancy and the use of it to exploit minors, and to promote and provide for the rehabilitation of mendicants, who may include persons with disabilities.
“The public must be discouraged from giving alms directly to mendicants and instead contribute or donate only to lawful fundraising projects or charitable institutions and other organized agencies or entities,” the ordinance stated.
Under the local law, “mendicants” are “those capable of earning a living but opting to beg in the streets, offices and other places where people converge, including those who preach for the purpose of soliciting money from the public.”
They include “those below 18 years of age who roam the streets and beg for food and money in hotels, restaurants, plazas, and private and public offices.”
Mendicants may also be “persons with some form of disability who use this to beg on the streets; those who exploit minors or their own children to beg; those who use fake solicitation letters, communications or documents from the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), Municipal Health Office and other government agencies to obtain money from public and private individuals; and indigenous people who roam the streets begging for food and money.”
Anyone “giving or offering alms, money, food, and other material things to mendicants” shall be fined P1,000.
A mendicant who continues to beg after having been subjected to “rehabilitative programs or services” shall be fined P500 or imprisoned for between a month and three months.
On the other hand, a habitual mendicant shall be fined P1,000 or imprisoned for three to six months, stated the ordinance introduced by Sangguniang Bayan members Natalie Paderes and Rowen Aguirre.
Parents who exploit their minor children or use them to beg shall be fined P2,500 or imprisoned for three to six months.
A person or group of people who promotes mendicancy or exploits minors shall be fined P2,500 or imprisoned between three to six months.
The ordinance does not cover charitable institutions, religious or educational organizations duly formed or organized under international or local laws and accredited by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. (PIA/PN)
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