Manila to monitor money changers during SEA Games

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza has directed the Manila Police District (MPD) to step up its monitoring of moneychanging shops that might attempt to shortchange foreigners participating in the 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

Atienza said he has met with MPD director Chief Superintendent Pedro Bulaong and Taib Abdurahman, president of the Association of Authorized Foreign Exchange Buyers of Central Bank of the Philippines Inc. (AAFEBCBP), to tackle the problem of "magician" type money changers.

By "magicians," Atienza was referring to money changers who employ personnel with quick hands.

Before handing the money over to a customer, an employee would quickly count the amount to show that he or she was receiving the right amount. But when the customer gets home and recounts the money, it would be a few thousand pesos short.

It can be recalled that during the holding of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference last April, the wife of a delegate from Kenya was shortchanged by a money changer shop.

For the SEA Games, which would run from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5, the city government would be enforcing more stringent measures due the expected influx of foreign athletes and visitors.

"I warn traders that there would be a crackdown against them if they victimize the athletes," mayor said.

Manila is again one of the host cities in the games.

Atienza instructed local law enforcers and the Bureau of Permits at Manila City Hall to track down and identify "magicians" in dollar trading.

"In the first place, many of these moneychanging shops are not authorized because they do not have business permits issued by the city and they are not authorized by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas," he said.

The mayor added that they would shut down the operations of unscrupulous traders and post notices to inform the public that these are not authorized moneychangers.

Abdurahman assured the mayor that they would join in the campaign because the number of unscrupulous shop owners have become rampant over the years and has affected the operations of those with legitimate businesses.

"Clients now go to Makati City and Quezon City to have their dollars and foreign money converted into pesos because of the reputation of some stalls in the Mabini area. This has affected our income by at least 50 percent, to the point that sometimes our earnings cannot even meet the monthly rental rates of P15,000 to P20,000," Abdurahman said.

Bulaong said the MPD would be beefing up patrols to monitor the shops.