Ordinance regulating mahjong

Decades ago the Municipal Board of Cebu City enacted an ordinance regulating the game of mahjong, prescribing rules and regulations and fixing license fees.

City Ordinance No. 125 was introduced by Councilor Luis Diores, seconded by Councilor Generoso Jaca, this was enacted on May 27, 1952. Almost three decades later, a national law was enacted by President Marcos penalizing gambling. This is contained under Presidential Decree No. 1602 (issued on June 11, 1978), a year later another statute (Presidential Decree No. 816, issued on February 20, 1979) was issued clarifying the inclusion of mahjong and its exemption when it is done through recreation or at homes.

The Cebu City ordinance regulating mahjong requires that no person shall own, maintain or operate any Mahjong game in which persons are permitted to play without first having obtained a license.

The license for each Mahjong table shall be Sixty (P60.00) Pesos per year for each table owned, maintained or operated. The ordinance however, shall not apply to Mahjong games owned, or maintained by associations, clubs or individuals for their own private recreations where no money consideration or any representative of value is involved. The ordinance further provides that if the mahjong game is recreational in purpose and without any consideration, still a license should be secured but free of charge.

The Mahjong permits shall be limited to the following hours of play: 12:00 noon to 12:00 midnight, during ordinary days and on Sundays and Holidays, games are allowed to be played the whole day.

The ordinance also requires that the Mahjong Operator shall submit to the Office of the City Mayor, the sketch indicating the location and number of tables, a copy of which shall be placed in a conspicuous place in the location.

Penalty for violating the ordinance shall be a cause for the revocation or confiscation of the permit and the imposition of a fine from Twenty Pesos (P20.00) to Two Hundred Pesos (P200.00) in the discretion of the Court.

The ordinance was approved by acting mayor Pedro Elizalde on June 12, 1952, his secretary then was Roman O. Mercader. The ordinance was approved by the Provincial Board (at that time Cebu City was still under the provincial government and its ordinance subject for approval by the board) on July 11, 1952. The Secretary of the Provincial Board was Ariston Cortes.