Ordinance for requiring the payment of fees for issuance of police clearances

Unlike today, where the primary security document is the National Bureau of Investigation Clearance, decades ago it was the "Police Clearance." Since the police clearance is the sole security document in the City of Cebu, the Municipal Board of Cebu City enacted an ordinance on this matter.

The Municipal Board on motion of Councilor Florencio S. Urot enacted City Ordinance No. 163, entitled "An Ordinance Requiring the Payment of Fees for Issuance of Police Clearances." It ordained that the issuance of police clearances to any person applying therefore by the police department of the city of Cebu without requiring payment of the necessary fees to the city treasurer, is prohibited.           For this purpose there shall be charged and collected by the city treasurer upon all police clearances for the purpose shall be issued with the following amounts:

1.  For an application for a passport or visa             - P10.00

2.  For an application as Special Police, Watchman

     And Private Detective                                                               -  P1.00

3.  For application for firearm                                                      -  P1.00

4.  For Waiters, Waitresses and Hostesses            -  P1.00

5.  For Driver's License issued by the Bureau

     Of Public Works                                                                           -  P1.00

6.  For persons going outside the city and

                province of Cebu                                                                             -  P1.00

7.  For Cochero's License issued

     by the City                                                     -  P0.50

8.  For an application for processing

     in the Army                                                                                                   -  P1.00

9.  For an application for commission

      in the Army                                                        - P1.00

10.For application for Filipino citizenship                -  P10.00

11. For application for housemaid                             -  P0.50

During that time, the police department was under the city government, they were hired and are personnel of the local government unlike today our police officers are employees of the national government.

The ordinance provides that any person violating the ordinance shall be punished by an imprisonment of not more than ten days or by a fine of not more than Twenty (P20.00) Pesos or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the Court.

The ordinance was approved by acting city mayor Vicente S. del Rosario on July 25, 1953. The secretary to the mayor was Mariano C. Osmeña.

The city ordinance was submitted to the provincial board for approval and was approved on July 14, 1954. The governor at that time was the presiding officer of the provincial board, and there were only two members of the board (today, there are two board members for every district). The governor was Sergio Osmeña, Jr and the board members were: Pedro B. Uy Calderon and Fructuoso B. Cabahug.