City marks anti-mendicancy month

The city is marking Anti-Mendicancy Month. Anyone caught giving alms would be fined P1,000 or would be required to render community service while beggars would be rehabilitated.

The anti-mendicancy board has noted an increase in the number of beggars in the city from 200 in 2003 to 300 in 2005. The board said beggars multiply faster during the holidays.

Councilor Gerry Carillo, chairman of the board, said mendicancy is even made as a modus to exact money from pedestrians. One example is the report that children are purposely placed in the streets to beg. "Last year we initiated the filing of cases against 14 mendicants but the court was forgiving," Carillo said.

In the case of the Badjao's, Carrillo said it is better to relocate them to Tongo Island wherein they will be given "a home to restore their dignity" considering that Tongo Island is a marine area where the Badjaos can continue fishing as their means of livelihood.

Carillo said relocating the Badjaos in Tongo Island would even convert the island into a tourist attraction because the Badjao's culture of building colorful houses and weaving colorful textiles would attract tourists.

However, Carillo said there is no assurance relocating the Badjaos to Tongo Island would stop them from being mendicants. - Norvie S. Misa, UV Journalism intern