MALACAANG

Manila
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE No. 1563
ESTABLISHING AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR THE CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF
MENDICANCY, PROVIDING PENALTIES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
WHEREAS, the promotion of social justice and protection of life, property and dignity of the
citizenry in endangered by rampant mendicancy;
WHEREAS, mendicancy breeds crime, creates traffic hazards, endangers health, and exposes
mendicants to indignities and degradation; and
WHEREAS, there is an immediate need to provide appropriate services to enable mendicants to
meet their basic needs and develop self-reliance;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the
powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and decree:
Section 1. Title And Scope Of The Decree. This Decree shall be known as the Mendicancy Law
of 1978. It shall apply to all mendicants, and exploited infants or children who are 8 years old
and below, minors found begging and covered by Presidential Decree No. 603 and parents of
exploited infants and children criminally liable under Article 59 and 60 of Presidential Decree No.
603.
Section 2. Purpose. This Decree shall be interpreted so as to, among others:
a. Prevent the commission of mendicancy;
b. Prevent the exploitation of infants and children through mendicancy and provide
habilitative services for those already exploited or in immediate danger of exploitation;
and
c. Promote the rehabilitation of minors found begging and mendicants by providing an
integrated developmental package of preventive, habilitative interceptive, remedial,
and/or rehabilitative services.
Section 3. Definition Of Terms. As used in this Decree, the following shall, unless the context
otherwise requires, be construed thus:
a. "Mendicant" refers to any person, except those enumerated in Section 4 of this
Decree, who has no visible and legal means of support, or lawful employment and who

is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead
uses begging as a means of living.
b. "Exploited Infant" or "Child" refers to an infant or child 8 years and below who is used
in begging or one who accompanies a habitual vagrant or beggar.
c "Habitual Mendicant" refers to one who has been convicted of mendicancy under this
Decree two or more times.
d. "Duly Licensed Child Placement Agency" or "Individual" is an institution or person
licensed by the Department of Social Services and Development to assume the care,
custody, protection and maintenance of children for placement in any child-caring
institution or home under the care and custody of any person for purposes of adoption,
guardianship or foster care.
e. Integrated Developmental Package of Services include the following:
1. Preventive services to measures that forestall the occurrence of situations
identified as contributory to mendicancy;
2. Habilitative services refer to measures which provide environmental or socioeconomic conditions for the exploited infant or child which maximize possibilities
and opportunities for the enjoyment of satisfactory equality of life before the
formation of undesirable attitudes and values or the onset of conditions most
conducive to mendicancy;
3. Interceptive services are measures which channel or direct the growth
potential and productive energy of the mendicant infant, child, youth or adult to
offset the effect of factors contributing to mendicancy;
4. Remedial services refer to measures intended to meet the basic needs and
improve living condition of the mendicant; and
5. Rehabilitative services refer to medical, social, educational, psychological and
vocational measures to develop and/or restore the mendicant to the fullest state
of well-being or economic usefulness of which he is capable, and to engage in a
gainful occupation.
Section 4. Apprehension Of And Services For Persons Found Begging. Any infants or child 8
years old and below who is found begging or is being utilized by a mendicant for purposes of
begging shall be apprehended as a neglected child under Article 141 of PD 603 and shall be
committed to the custody and care of the Department of Social Services and Development or to
any duly licensed child placement agency or individual.

Any minor over 9 years of age under 15 found begging or is being utilized for purposes of
begging and who acted without discernment shall be apprehended as a neglected child under
Article 141 of Presidential Decree No. 603 and shall be committed to the custody and care of
the Department of Social Services and Development or to any duly licensed placement agency
or individual.
Any minor over 9 years of age and under 15 who is found begging or is being utilized for the
purpose of begging and who acted with discernment shall be proceeded against in accordance
with the provisions of Chapter 3, Title VIII of Presidential Decree No. 603.
Any person not otherwise covered in the preceding paragraph of this Section who is found
begging and who is physically or mentally incapable of gainful occupation shall be provided the
integrated package of services by the Department of Social Services and Development, the
Welfare units of local governments and other cooperating agencies.
Section 5. Criminal Liability. A mendicant as defined in Paragraph (a) Section 3 hereof, shall,
upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding P500.00 or by imprisonment for a period
not exceeding 2 years or both at the discretion of the court.
A habitual mendicant shall be punished by a fine not exceeding P1,000.00 or by imprisonment
for a period not exceeding 4 years or both at the discretion of the court.
Parents of exploited infants or minors under Section 4 of this Decree shall be proceeded against
in accordance with Articles 59 and 60 of Presidential Decree No. 603, unless they are
themselves mendicants.
Any person who abets mendicancy by giving alms directly to mendicants, exploited infants and
minors on public roads, sidewalks, parks and bridges shall be punished by a fine nor exceeding
P20.00.
Section 6. Information Program. The Department of Public Information shall conduct a
nationwide educational and information program on the Mendicancy Law and educate the public
to contribute only to lawful fund raising projects and prevent the community in giving alms
except through organized agencies, subject to such rules and regulations as the Secretary of
the Department of Public Information may promulgate.
Section 7. Local Programs And Facilities. Local governments shall provide socio-economic
programs and establish operating units including reception and action centers, sheltered
workshops, constitute homes and other facilities for mendicants, subject to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of the Department of Local Government and Community
Development may promulgate.
Section 8. Health Needs. The Department of Health shall provide the necessary measures in
meeting the health needs of mendicants, subject to such rules and regulations as the Secretary
of the Department of Health may promulgate.

Section 9. Law Enforcement. The Department of National Defense shall provide the necessary
law enforcement and other related services for the implementation of this Decree, subject to
such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Department of National Defense may
promulgate.
Section 10. Integrated Network Of Services. The Department of Social Services and
Development shall provide an integrated network of appropriate services to exploited infants
and children 8 years old and below as well as mendicant minors and adult mendicants and shall
coordinate the services related to the implementation of this Decree, subject to such rules and
regulations as the Secretary of the Department of Social Services and Development may
promulgate.
Section 11. Appropriations. The sum of two million pesos (P2,000,000) is hereby authorized to
be appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury that are not otherwise appropriated, in
order to support the activities under this Decree.
Section 12. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations which are
inconsistent with this Decree are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Section 13. Separability Of Provisions. If for any reason any section of provision of this Decree
is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions thereof which are not
affected thereby shall continue in full force and effect.
Section 14. Effectivity. This Decree shall take effect immediately.
Done in the City of Manila, this 11th day of June, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and
seventy-eight.
http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1978/pd_1563_1978.html

Basically laws which attempt to control begging, pan-handling and related activities which are
considered crimes, Vagrancy, etc. Mendicant in modern French, also spelled Mendiantgenerally means ( BUM) but a tramp steamer can be called- with no disrespect ( Une Vaisseau
Mendiant)- lit Mendicant vessel- does NOT mean a repair ship -that is used for salvage and
repair tasks. Mendicant Friars were clergymen who begged to obtain alms- charity funds.
maybe the slang term Mendicant- Bum has taken the ascendancy. Both come from the same
root. Such laws would not be applied to religious types if they- properly displayed ID ( such as
Salvation Army) or modern mendicant friars- a diocesan permit to solicit funds- this is carried by
the mendicant priest at all times when in the ( Charity collection) role, without it , he could be
arrested for vagrancy.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_anti-mendicancy_law#ixzz28Q7jtpRK

Isnt the govt violating law on mendicancy?

By Ramon Tulfo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:27:00 10/15/2010
Filed Under: Government, Poverty, Laws
THE PROPOSED P21-billion budget for the country?s poorest of the poor would be a big
source of graft if it is approved.
Who will monitor the conditional cash transfer (CCT)? the government?s euphemism for doles?
when it is distributed among the country?s most impoverished?
How will the government track down the recipients of such a huge amount?P21 billion?
Chairman Rey Villar of the Commission on Audit (COA) told this writer it would be very difficult
to know how the huge amount would be spent.
?We don?t have that many people to check whether the fund goes to its intended
beneficiaries,? Villar said.
The target number of intended beneficiaries is 2.3 million families.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the holder of the CCT, could just
as well invent names of beneficiaries.
***
Pangasinan Representative Kimi Cojuangco said that when she was mayor, she found that
certain officers of the DSWD were giving cash assistance to their relatives and other individuals
who were not among the poorest of the poor.
Cojuangco is the wife of Mark Cojuangco, President cousin.
Ms Cojuangco said the families that received the cash aid from the DSWD tended to spend the
money on nonessentials such as booze and gambling.
***
Former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is against it,
saying it is ?irresponsible, ambitious and untimely.?

GMA should know; after all, giving the doles was her idea.
?I?ve been there, Mr. Speaker,? the former President said of the conditional cash transfer.
She knew where most of the money went: Not to the poorest of the poor, but to people close to
her.
There?s a saying in Filipino, ?Ang magnanakaw ay galit sa kapwa magnanakaw (A thief hates
another thief].?
***
Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman has defended the administration?s P21-billion cash
doles.
?Our mandate is to help the poorest of the poor,? she said.
Help the poor, or drive them to become lazy?
Why doesn?t the Aquino administration spend the money on creating livelihood opportunities?
***
There?s a law that prohibits begging in the streets and giving alms to beggars.
Both the beggar and the giver can go to jail if caught.
Isn?t the government violating the law against mendicancy?
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20101015-297918/Isnt-the-govtviolating-law-on-mendicancy

http://www.philstar.com/nation/article.aspx?publicationsubcategoryid=67&articleid=755028

Dont give beggars alms; dont say Merry Christmas

By Nikko Dizon, Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:25:00 12/17/2009
Filed Under: Holidays or vacations, Civil & Public Services,Government offices &
agencies, Children
MANILA, Philippines?The government is singing its annual yearend songs.
To the general public, it is again saying that giving alms to caroling street children is a no-no

because their singing is actually a form of begging, which is against the law.
?If we want to help the mendicants and street children, we must channel this [aid] through the
proper agencies, such as the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and
nongovernment organizations,? Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said.
According to Cabral, caroling in the streets is ?tantamount to begging,? which is against
Presidential Decree No. 1563 (or the Anti-Mendicancy Law).
No greetings, no tips
The law covers exploited children who are forced by their parents or by syndicates to beg.
On the other hand, employees of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) have once
again been banned from greeting air passengers ?Merry Christmas? or ?Happy New Year?
during the holiday season, lest they be misconstrued as soliciting tips, gifts or bribes, MIAA
General Manager Alfonso Cusi said.
A memo to this effect was being issued every year by the agency that operates the three
Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminals and the domestic airport.
The Bureau of Immigration has a similar policy for the holiday season for its agents in the
airport facilities.
?We have reissued the memo. Greeting passengers can be a way of indirectly asking for tips
or gifts,? Cusi told reporters.
Angel Atutubo, MIAA assistant general manger for security and emergency service, said the
memo, along with the use of camera monitors, had led to a cutback in extortion practices at
the airports during the holiday season.
?Our general manager is emphasizing the need to do it right and provide excellent service to
the people. If there are times that our fellow countrymen want to give tips because of good
service, we stick to the no-tip policy,? Atutubo said.
Penalties
Parents found guilty of forcing their children to beg in the streets can be held criminally liable
under Article 59 of Presidential Decree No. 603 (or the Child and Youth Welfare Code), and
penalized with two to six months imprisonment or a fine not exceeding P500, or both,
depending on the court?s decision, the DSWD said.
Cabral also expressed concern for the safety of the children jostling for loose change from
motorists.
Dangerous
?Caroling on the streets is risky, especially for children who squeeze themselves between

vehicles and tap on car windows, or those who jump from moving public utility vehicles,
unmindful of the danger to their life and limb,? she said.
Cabral said the rescue of street children was the ?primary? responsibility of local government
units (LGUs) and the Metro Manila Development Authority.
?The DSWD intercedes if the LGUs cannot accommodate the street children. In this case, we
provide temporary shelter to the street children in our centers,? she said.
The DSWD said 3,031 street dwellers, including children, had been rescued by local
government units as of Nov. 30.
Christmas project
In partnership with LGUs in Metro Manila, the DSWD has launched a project that provides gift
packs, hot meals, toys and social interventions and services to poor street families, Cabral
said.
Dubbed ?Pamasko sa Bawat Pamilya ng Batang Lansangan at Pamilyang Naninirahan sa
Lansangan,? the project has begun on Dec. 10 and runs until Jan. 12. It aims to benefit some
3,000 families in the metropolis.
Paskuhan Centers have been set up in areas with a great concentration of street children?
Kamuning and Tandang Sora in Quezon City, C.M. Recto and Rizal Avenue in Manila, and
F.B. Harrison in Pasay City.
The children and their families will be assessed by the Local City Social Welfare and
Development Office at the Paskuhan Centers to determine their needs.
They will be provided appropriate interventions such as spiritual enhancement, value
formation, parent effectiveness seminars, education and livelihood assistance.

Article 59. Crimes. - Criminal liability shall attach to any parent who:
1. Conceals or abandons the child with intent to make such child lose his civil status.
2. Abandons the child under such circumstances as to deprive him of the love, care and
protection he needs.
3. Sells or abandons the child to another person for valuable consideration.
4. Neglects the child by not giving him the education which the family's station in life and
financial conditions permit.

5. Fails or refuses, without justifiable grounds, to enroll the child as required by Article
72.
6. Causes, abates, or permits the truancy of the child from the school where he is
enrolled. "Truancy" as here used means absence without cause for more than twenty
schooldays, not necessarily consecutive.
7. It shall be the duty of the teacher in charge to report to the parents the absences of
the child the moment these exceed five schooldays.
8. Improperly exploits the child by using him, directly or indirectly, such as for purposes
of begging and other acts which are inimical to his interest and welfare.
9. Inflicts cruel and unusual punishment upon the child or deliberately subjects him to
indignation and other excessive chastisement that embarrass or humiliate him.
10. Causes or encourages the child to lead an immoral or dissolute life.
11. Permits the child to possess, handle or carry a deadly weapon, regardless of its
ownership.
12. Allows or requires the child to drive without a license or with a license which the
parent knows to have been illegally procured. If the motor vehicle driven by the child
belongs to the parent, it shall be presumed that he permitted or ordered the child to
drive.
"Parents" as here used shall include the guardian and the head of the institution or foster home
which has custody of the child.
Article 60. Penalty. - The act mentioned in the preceding article shall be punishable with
imprisonment from two or six months or a fine not exceeding five hundred pesos, or both, at the
discretion of the Court, unless a higher penalty is provided for in the Revised Penal Code or
special laws, without prejudice to actions for the involuntary commitment of the child under Title
VIII of this Code.
http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1974/pd_603_1974.html

Anti-mendicancy proposed amendment nixed

By James Dodge Perez
Cebu Daily NewsFirst Posted 14:56:00 04/30/2009Filed Under: Police
The proposed ordinance of Cebu City Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa amending the antimendicancy ordinance was met with disagreement from the police and other sectors during
yesterday's public hearing conducted by the Cebu City Council.
Abellanosa had proposed to impose a ?compromise? penalty to persons caught handing out
money or any material goods to mendicants.
Instead of paying a fine of P1,000 upon conviction in court, a person could choose from either
paying P200 or rendering community service for about four hours.
Abellanosa said that 60 percent of the fine would be collected by the barangay while the
remaining 40 percent would go to the city government.
The fine collected would be used to fund anti-mendicancy projects.
However, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) headed by Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador
Jr. who was represented by SPO1 Julius Umpad disagreed with the amendment saying making
a person render community service is illegal and unconstitutional.
Citing Article III Section 18 of the 1987 constitution which provides that no person shall be
detained solely by reason of his political beliefs and aspirations, Umpad said that the alternative
penalty is illegal under the provision of law.
He said that according to the law, there must be a conviction of the person and that he/she must
have committed a crime.
The amendment therefore lacks other requisites, that is, a prior conviction of a competent court,
according to CCPO's position paper.
The proposed ordinance lacks the mechanics as how to deal with mendicant children, further
stated CCPO's position paper, adding that the police?s concern is how to lessen the
proliferating number of mendicant children.

Umpad said the proposed ordinance should be thoroughly studied so as not to jeopardize other
existing laws.
However, Cebu City Councilors Edgardo Labella and Gerardo Carillo agreed with Abellanosa's
proposed amendment.
Carillo said it is the police's responsibility to protect the mendicant children who are being used
by adults to ask alms on the streets.
?Take the minor out and penalize the person who puts him there,? Carillo said.
Abellanosa said that imposition of this amendment is refraining the ?givers? from constantly
giving money or goods to mendicants just out of mercy because the practice would encourage
mendicants to ask money.
Betty Ganob, anti-mendicancy task force officer in charge, said that giving money or goods to
the mendicants could no longer be considered charity because it endangers the lives of the
mendicants especially children.
?You can give your donations to proper authorities and not in the street,? Ganob said.
Panaghugpong-Kadamay Cebu secretary general Socrates Rota Pepino said that they would
agree with the amendment if the city government would impose a more intensive program for
anti-mendicancy.
The group aspires for a sustainable livelihood project for mendicants since mendicancy has
already been considered by people in the lowly sector of the society as a means of livelihood.
Pepino said that a sustainable livelihood could resolve the mendicancy problem.
The secretary general also suggested coming up with an ordinance that would provide for the
rehabilitation of the youth by introducing a ?Balik Eskuyla? program to communities.
Sto. Nio barangay captain Pancho Ramirez also disagreed with the proposed ordinance saying
?there should also be programs for the mendicants and not focus only on the givers.?
Ramirez suggested of constructing playgrounds to divert the attention of the youth so they
would not prefer mendicancy. This received the nod of Cebu City Councilors Arsenio Pacaa
and Nestor Archival.
Carillo also backed the suggestion by saying that all barangays should have its own
playgrounds and additional day care centers.
But Pacaa said he would rather a playground be constructed at the Plaza Independencia.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20090430-202372/Anti-mendicancyproposed-amendment-nixed

Ignorance of the law, excuses no one ito ang madalas nating sabihin at madalas na marinig.
Ngunit alam mo ba na maaaring nakalabag ka na ng isang batas ng hindi mo pa nalalaman?
Yun ay kung hindi mo pa alam ang tungkol sa Presidential Decree No. 1563 o Anti-Mendicancy
Law.
Ano ang batas na ito?
Ayon sa batas na ito, mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang PAMAMALIMOS AT MAGPALIMOS.
Bakit ginawa ang batas na ito?
Ang Mendicancy o Pamamalimos ay nanganganak ng krimen, nagiging dahilan ng trapiko sa
pampublikong mga kalsada, nakakasama sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayan (gawa ng mga
madungis na namamalimos at maaaring may taglay na sakit), at nakakasira ng dignidad ng mga
taong ginagamit ng mga sindikato sa pamamalimos. Kaya naman ginawa ng dating pangulong
Marcos ang batas na ito upang supilin ang talamak na pamamalimos ng mga pulubi sa
lansangan.
Sino ang isang mendicant o namamalimos at neglected child o pinabayaang bata? Ang
mendicant o namamalimos ay sinumang tao na walang hayag at legal na suporta o trabaho,
ngunit may kakayahang maghanapbuhay, at ginagamit ang paghingi ng pera, solisitasyon, o
pamamalimos bilang hanapbuhay.
Ang sinumang sanggol o bata, walong taong gulang pababa, na
namamalimos o ginagamit ng isang indibidwal (tulad ng magulang, kamag-anak, o sindikato) sa
pamamalimos ay tinitignan ng batas bilang isang neglected child o pinabayaang bata.
Sino ang saklaw ng batas na ito?
Saklaw ng batas na ito ang mga taong namamalimos, nagpapalimos at mga taong ginagawang
hanapbuhay ang pamamalimos tulad ng mga sindikato at mga magulang o kamag-anak ng mga
batang ginagamit sa pamamalimos.
Ano ang parusa sa namamalimos?
Ang isang mendicant, pagkatapos patawan ng desisyon sa hukuman, ay dapat patawan ng
multa ng hindi tataas sa P500.00, pagkakabilanggo ng hindi lalampas ng dalawang taon, o
pareho.

Ang sinumang namamalimos na dati ng napatawan ng parusa na nasa itaas ay tinatawag na

habitual mendicant at mapapatawan ng parusa doble ng nasa itaas. P1,000 at pagkakabilanggo
ng hindi hihigit sa apat na taon.
Ang sinumang bata na namamalimos at ginagamit sa pamamalimos ay dapat hulihin ng mga
awtoridad at ilagak sa pangangalaga ng Department of Social Service and Development o
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Ano ang parusa sa nagbibigay ng limos?
Ang sinumang tao na magbibigay ng limos ay magbabayad ng hindi hihigit sa P20.00 sa mga
awtoridad na nagpapatupad ng batas na ito.
Kung uunawain
Kung titignan nating mabuti, ang layunin ng batas na ito ay mabuti sapagkat kung tutuusin
prinuprotektahan nito ang kapakanan ng mga namamalimos at nagpapalimos.
Una, kung titignan natin, madalas mga batang walang kamuwang-muwang ang namamalimos
at ginagamit ng mga magulang o ng mga sindikato upang mamalimos. Hindi ba dapat nga
talagang ipatupad ang batas na ito upang mapangalagaan ang mga batang biktima nito?
Pangalawa, hindi bat nakakainis minsan na makita ang mga namamalimos na mas malaki pa
ang katawan kaysa sayo? At kung tutuusin e mas may kakayahan sana siyang maghanapbuhay
kaysa sa iyo? Kaya naman tama rin ang batas na ito sapagkat hindi nito kinukunsinte ang
pagiging tamad ng ilan nating mga mamamayan.
Panghuli, ang pamamalimos ay isang hanapbuhay ng mga sindikato. Hindi naman ang mga
batang ginagamit sa pamamalimos ng mga sindikato ang nakikinabang sa kanilang mga
nakuhang limos kundi kinukuha ito ng mga sindikatong may hawak sa kanila upang gamitin din
ito sa iba pang operasyon tulad ng droga, prostitusyon, at krimen.
Bente pesos lang pala eh
Maaaring natawa ka sa parusang ipinapataw sa mga namamalimos sapagkat bente pesos lang
ito. Ngunit kung iisipin mo, ang batas na ito ay ginawa pa sa panahon ni Marcos at ang bente
pesos noon ay isang malaking halaga na. E di mas lalo na sa parusang P500 o P1,000 para sa
mga namamalimos. Huwag sana nating tignan ang mga halagang ito kundi ang layunin ng
batas.

Isipin na lang nating lahat na, WALANG NAMAMALIMOS KUNG WALANG NAGPAPALIMOS.
Kung hindi tayo nagbibigay ng limos, nakasunod na tayo sa batas, natulungan pa natin ang
ating kapwa.
http://ksuperioridad.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/alam-mo-na-ba-ang-anti-mendicancy-law/

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2010

Anti-Mendicacy Law:Child Violence
1
Changing facebook to Anime or Cartoon Characters? Why?

This is for campaign against violence on children. Which turns a massive facebook profile
picture change worldwide.
Christmas is coming, And this time of the year gimmicks of soliciting money arises from streets,
subdivisions, and everywhere that is crowded.
This reminds me the Philippines has an Anti-Mendicancy Law known as Presidential Decree No.
1563 which was passed by the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos on June 11, 1978.
Pamamalimos at Magpalimos ay ipinagbabawal.

A mendicant is defined as any person who has no visible and legal means of support, or lawful
employment and who is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful
calling and instead uses begging as a means of living (Section 3, Par. 3, PD 1563). Mendicants
have a criminal liability (Section 5).

The law also protects exploited children. They are those who are put to use by their parents or
by other mendicants to beg.
Any youngster found begging should be placed under the care of the Department of Social
Welfare and Development or DSWD, who has a special program for these children.
A good example of what happen to a friend of Jabal, who put into blind by the gang leader, to
gain people mercy and give them alms. Watch the movie to see how violence against children it
is.

Conclusion: Instead of directly giving your donation to the person, It is much better to give it in
an institution that cares it.

Read more: Anti-Mendicacy Law:Child Violence ~ What's New Philippines?

Makatilaunches'SagipTao'
By Jerome Carlo R. Paunan
Sunday 5th of August 2012
TweetFacebookYahooEmailShareThis
MAKATI CITY, Aug. 5 (PIA) -- "Sagip Tao (Rescue Man), an information drive by the city of
Makati, aims just that -- to save the man on the street, in particular the marginalized persons
from
mendicancy.
Makati wants to reiterate to the people about the Anti-Mendicancy Law which promotes
responsible giving and discourage the exploitation of marginalized members of society.
In a statement, Marjorie De Veyra, MSWD head, said the project is an advocacy campaign
aimed to prevent the proliferation of beggars and vagrants by discouraging motorists and the
riding
public
from
giving
them
alms.
Many people are not aware that giving alms and begging in the streets are prohibited by the
law. Even though they have good intentions, those who give alms may inadvertently encourage
the exploitation of children, senior citizens and persons with disability by unscrupulous
syndicates,
De
Veyra
said.
The MSWD chief urged the public, especially motorists, to be discerning in giving charity to the
poor and choose legitimate channels for their donations, such as charitable institutions and
foundations.
Accompanied by live performance by the Makati Police Safety Assistance (MAPSA) Band,
around 100 MSWD officials and staff converged last July 25 at the intersection of Sen. Gil Puyat
and Makati Avenues where they distributed flyers to motorists and pedestrians and held up
placards with slogans about the anti-Mendicancy Law or Presidential Decree 1563 enacted in
1978.
The said law, which some sectors are pushing for amendment, recognizes that mendicancy
breeds crime, creates traffic hazards, endangers health, and exposes mendicants to indignities
and
degradation.
For those caught begging on the streets, it provides a penalty of either P500 or jail term not
exceeding
two
years,
or
both
at
the
discretion
of
the
court.

Habitual mendicants face a bigger fine not exceeding P1,000 or jail term of not more than four
years, or both. However, givers of alms on the streets are fined a mere P20 for every infraction.
From January to June of this year, composite teams of personnel from MWSD Emergency
Assistance Section, city police and public safety departments, and Bantay Bayan of concerned
barangays have rescued 58 residents and 131 non-residents during random round-up
operations conducted along Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and other city streets frequented by
mendicants.
The residents rounded up consisted of 25 male minors, nine female minors, 17 male adults and
seven female adults. The 131 non-residents included 49 male minors, 33 female minors, 18
male
adults,
and
31
female
adults.
De Veyra said rescued female minors and adult women and men are brought to the Social
Development Center (SDC) in Barangay Tejeros where social workers interview and counsel
them. Male minor residents are given temporary shelter at the Makati Youth Home in Barangay
La Paz and also undergo counselling at the Child and Youth Welfare Section of MSWD.
On the other hand, non-residents after processing are endorsed to the concerned city social
welfare
and
development
office
in
the
locality
where
they
reside.
The MSWD will continue to pursue the Sagip Tao advocacy campaign through strategic
information drive and intensified rescue operations in the Central Business Districts and other
areas in Makati, she said. (ICRD/RJB/JCP-PIA NCR)

http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=261344131636

News
News MAKATI LAUNCHES ?SAGIP TAO? PROJECT TO RAISE AWARENESS ON ANTIMENDICANCY LAW, PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE GIVING
MAKATI LAUNCHES ?SAGIP TAO? PROJECT TO RAISE AWARENESS ON ANTIMENDICANCY LAW, PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE GIVING
posted by : icrd on 08/04/2012
The city government of Makati through the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) has
launched an information drive to make the public aware that it is against the law to ask for and
give alms to beggars and vagrants.
At the same time, the city has intensified its anti-mendicacy drive and is urging the public to
report the presence of beggars and vagrants to concerned city offices. From January to June of
this year, composite teams of personnel from MWSD Emergency Assistance Section, city police
and public safety departments, and Bantay Bayan of concerned barangays have rescued a
total of 58 residents and 131 non-residents during random round-up operations conducted along
Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue and other city streets frequented by mendicants.

The residents rounded up consisted of 25 male minors, nine female minors, 17 male adults and
seven female adults. The 131 non-residents included 49 male minors, 33 female minors, 18
male adults, and 31 female adults.
In a report to Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay, acting City Administrator and MSWD chief Marjorie
De Veyra said the Makati Sagip Tao Project is an advocacy campaign aimed to prevent the
proliferation of beggars and vagrants by discouraging motorists and the riding public from giving
them alms.
Many people are not aware that giving alms and begging in the streets are prohibited by the
law. Even though they have good intentions, those who give alms may inadvertently encourage
the exploitation of children, senior citizens and persons with disability by unscrupulous
syndicates, De Veyra said.
The MSWD chief urged the public, especially motorists, to be prudent in giving charity to the
poor and choose legitimate channels for their donations, such as charitable institutions and
foundations.
Accompanied by live performance by the MAPSA Band, around 100 MSWD officials and staff
converged last July 25 at the intersection of Sen. Gil Puyat and Makati Avenues where they
distributed flyers to motorists and pedestrians and held up placards with slogans about the antiMendicancy Law or Presidential Decree 1563 enacted in 1978.
The said law, which some sectors are pushing for amendment, recognizes that mendicancy
breeds crime, creates traffic hazards, endangers health, and exposes mendicants to indignities
and degradation. For those caught begging on the streets, it provides a penalty of either P500
or jail term not exceeding two years, or both at the discretion of the court. So-called habitual
mendicants face a bigger fine not exceeding P1,000 or jail term of not more than four years, or
both. However, givers of alms on the streets are fined a mere P20.00 for every infraction.
De Veyra said rescued female minors and adult women and men are brought to the Social
Development Center (SDC) in Barangay Tejeros where social workers interview and counsel
them. Male minor residents are given temporary shelter at the Makati Youth Home in Barangay
La Paz and also undergo counselling at the Child and Youth Welfare Section of MSWD. On the
other hand, non-residents after processing are endorsed to the concerned city social welfare
and development office in the locality where they reside.
The MSWD will continue to pursue the Sagip Tao advocacy campaign through strategic
information drive and intensified rescue operations in the Central Business Districts and other
areas in Makati, she said. http://www.makati.gov.ph/portal/news/view.jsp?id=2917

Duterte strengthens functions of Anti-Mendicancy Task Force

June 22, 2010, 5:35pm

DAVAO CITY (PNA) Vice Mayor-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte strengthened the citys task force
against mendicancy by issuing Executive Order No. 7 that reorganizes the composition and
functions of the body.
Duterte observed that mendicancy has continued to become a social problem in this city and in
other urban areas in the country.
He noted that there is a need to re-organize the Anti-Mendicancy Task Force to address all
concerns pertaining to social problem and to provide appropriate services to enable mendicants
to meet basic needs and develop self-reliance.
Mendicancy breeds crime, creates traffic hazards, endangers health, among others, the order
said.
The order is grounded on Presidential Decree (PD) 1563, which defines a mendicant as any
person who has no visible and legal means of support, or lawful employment and who is
physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead uses
begging as a means of living.
Duterte said PD 1563 or the Mendicancy Law of 1978 applies to all mendicants, and exploited
infants or children who are eight-years-old and below.
Minors found begging are covered by PD 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code. Parents of
exploited infants and children are also criminally liable under Articles 59 and 60 of PD 603.
Duterte explained that the citys Anti-Mendicancy Task Force will be composed of the city mayor
as its chair, City Council on Social Services as the vice-chair, and the City Social Services and
Development Office as the secretariat.
Local government agencies and non-governmental organizations representatives will compose
the task force membership.
Under the order, the task force will have the following functions: Plan, implement and monitor
yearly work programs in pursuance to the objectives of the law;
Be responsible for the implementation of the integrated network of appropriate services to
mendicants; Draw a list of available and required services which can be provided to mendicants.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/263265/duterte-strengthens-functions-antimendicancy-task-force

ANTI-MENDICANCY LAW
Posted on November 29, 2008 at 10:32 AM

I've been looking for the Anti-Mendicancy Law like forever. After a tedious search...
EUREKA! I found it. I've always wanted to write something about this matter.
For those who are not aware, the Philippines has an Anti-Mendicancy Law known as
Presidental Decree No. 1563 which was passed by the late President Ferdinand E.
Marcos on June 11, 1978.
A mendicant is defined as "any person who has no visible and legal means of support,
or lawful employment and who is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself
to some lawful calling and instead uses begging as a means of living" (Section 3, Par.
3, PD 1563). Mendicants have a criminal liability (Section 5). And for the information
of everyone, abetting mendicancy also has its punishment.
The law also covers exploited children. They are those who are utilized by their
parents or by other mendicants to beg. Any child found begging should be placed
under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DSWD has a special program for these children. There is a different rule though
for minors who acted with discernment. For the complete text of the law, please
visithttp://www.lawphil.net/statutes/presdecs/pd1978/pd_1563_1978.html.
You, the reader, might wonder why I am writing about this topic. It's because I have a
daily experience on this matter. Most people would give money to children who beg
from them. I remember buying something from a certain pharmacy one time. A child
was begging from the pharmacy's clients. When the child approached me, I refused to
give her any money. Two students beside me gave the child some money and looked
at me like I did a horrible, terrible, horid thing, and that I am a horrible, terrible,
horid person. I wanted to give them a lecture on the anti-mendicancy law, but there
was no time. Hehe... I pity them for their ignorance.
Yes, I admit, I don't give money to beggars. And I have my reasons.
First, not all beggars spend the money you gave them on food. There are children
who use the money to buy solvents (especially rugby). If you think that you've helped
someone by giving him money, you are wrong. You actually helped someone become
an addict. If you want to help a beggar, give him/her food instead.

Second, there are syndicates that run the "mendicant" business. These syndicates
actually "employ" children to work for them by begging. The money these children
"earn" go to the syndicates. I actually witnessed a child giving his "earnings" to their
"boss". It happened along Araneta-San Sebastian Streets one night.
Third, I don't want to tolerate laziness. I have noticed that most mendicants are just
too lazy to find a real job and to actually use their energy in a useful pursuit. I was in
this pharmacy again and two women approached me. The younger woman was
"leading" the older woman in their begging. The younger woman was physically bigger
than I am. She was a bit plump. I was both surprised and irritated that a healthy
person like the woman spend all her time begging when she can find a real job.
Fourth, I don't want to be a lawbreaker.
I am speaking in general terms in here. There are exceptions. But think twice before
giving that beggar a coin.
http://koolkolourz.webs.com/apps/blog/show/543080 -jasper

Beng urges info drive on mendicancy law Monday, March 20. 2006
ice Mayor Beng Climaco has called for a massive information drive of theMendicancy law starting at the barangay
level as she expressed grave concern over the serious mendicancy problem in the streets.
Vice Mayor Climaco said there is a need for the people starting from the grassroots level to be aware of the
provisions of the law as well as the proper way of helping vagrants.
The city government, through Mayor Celso Lobregat is seriously searching for ways and means on how to rid city
streets of mendicants. In a meeting called by the mayor at City Hall the other day, barangay officials and agencies
catering to the sector tackled issues and concerns related to mendicancy.
Among the facts discovered during the meeting are: most of the beggars lurking downtown are from out of town and
that they employ different tactics to get people''s sympathy. One modus operandi is the use of infants, rented for
P100 a day, for begging activities.
Climaco lamented that these beggars can pay for their fares to and from the city but cannot provide for their daily
needs. The use of infants for mendicancy, she said, is very inhuman and is clear exploitation of children.
She said the citizenry should be educated on the proper way of helping beggars as giving alms would put vagrants at
further risks. "The reality is that beggars prefer to stay on the streets where they can make instant money".
"It''s not that we are selfish in giving but let''s look at what''s best for them", the vice mayor pointed out. One way to
help mendicants is by coursing their assistance to agencies or institutions that cater to the mendicant sector, she
said.
On the other hand, Climaco said the government should also prepare an area and provide the proper program in
compliance of the mendicancy law. "We (the government) are also open to suggestions on how to implement an
effective program for this sector", she said. However, priority should also be how to protect the infants and children
from exploitation through mendicancy.

The business community has been complaining about harassments and ill behavior of some vagrants. The presence
of these beggars in the premises of business establishments drives away customers.
The mendicancy law or Presidential Decree 1563 establishes an integrated system for the control and eradication
of mendicancy, providing penalties, appropriating funds therefore and for other purposes. The decree was issued on
June 11, 1978.
The decree is purposely to prevent the commission of mendicancy, prevent the exploitation of infants and children
through mendicancy and provide habilitative services for those already exploited or in immediate danger of
exploitation and promote the rehabilitation of minors found begging and mendicants by providing an integrated
developmental package of preventive, habilitative interceptive, remedial and or rehabilitative services.
Mendicancy breeds crime, creates traffic hazards, endangers health and exposes mendicants to indignities and
degradation, the law emphasizes. The law hopes to provide appropriate services to enable mendicants to meet their
basic needs and develop self-reliance.

http://www.zambotimes.com/index.php?/archives/3812-Beng-urges-info-drive-on-mendicancylaw.html

inquirer Opinion/ Columns

You are here: Home > Opinion > Inquirer Opinion > Columns

As I See It

DSWD encouraging mendicancy

By Neal Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 22:15:00 09/09/2010
Filed Under: graft, Poverty, Government

(Continued from last Wednesday. )

MORE FROM former chairman and administrator Felicito Payumo of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA),
commenting on graft charges filed against him by labor leader David Diwa, who said he filed the charges to defend
the present administrator, Armand Arreza, and because Payumo has many things to explain. He accused Payumo
of reducing the lease rates of SBMA locators resulting in the loss of P1 billion in rentals by the government.
Payumo explained that the lease rates were reduced at the request of the locators because of the Asian economic
crisis of 1998 to 2000 that almost doubled the peso-dollar exchange rate. The locators would not have been able
to afford the peso equivalent of the rentals and would have either closed shop or moved out, throwing thousands of
Filipino workers out of jobs. Because of the rate reductions, the number of workers in the SBMA increased from
9,000 to 54,000, Payumo said.
Now that I have explained myself, Payumo said, it is the turn of Arreza to do some explaining himself:
?1. Arreza has to explain how 746 kilos of methamphetamine chemicals (shabu) were accumulated in a
warehouse inside the Subic Freeport, and how the person who brought in the chemicals was allowed to escape
and the ship that brought in the chemicals allowed to leave. Arreza consolidated too much authority in his man,
Ferdinand Hernandez, who was in charge of port operations and also of law enforcement. He was in charge of
issuing import permits and gate passes at the same time. No check and balance there.

?President Aquino should ask for a copy of the report of the Carolina Grino Aquino Commission which investigated
both the Alabang Boys and the Subic shabu cases. The reports have been completed and submitted to President
Gloria-Macapagal-Arroyo but was not publicly disclosed. The Subic report has recommended sanctions against
certain officials but GMA did nothing. The people should know the truth about this drug smuggling case,? Payumo
said.
What does the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency say?
?2. Arreza is lobbying for retention (with the fabulous pay he is getting, why wouldn?t he want to stay?) or to be
allowed to finish what he claims is his fixed term up to 2011. But he has no fixed term. He was appointed not under
RA 722 but under an executive order which split the position of chairman and administrator. Thus, his appointment
can be revoked by another executive order.
?The longer Arreza stays at the SBMA, the more time he will have to cover his tracks on many midnight deals, one
of which was already reported in the newspapers. The management of All Hands Beach, which was already
earning P23 million, was given to Mark Dayrit, a relative of Alex Dayrit, a director of FSC, a subsidiary of the SBMA
that was operating the beach facilities.
?The only obligation of the lucky recipient of the facility management agreement was to remit the entrance fees to
the SBMA, amounting to a few million pesos, while pocketing the rest of the P23 million. His only commitment was
to invest P10 million over five years. In the first year alone, he would have raked in more than this amount.?
Payumo suspects that Arreza was behind the charges filed against him by Diwa who, the day after he decided to
protect Arreza from criticisms, suddenly had copies of the lease contracts with the SBMA locators. Payumo thinks
the charges were intended to deflect the attention from Arreza because of the scandal he found himself in due to
the exposure of the fabulous salary, allowances, bonuses and other perks he was getting.
***
I read in the papers that the government will give P1,400 cash a month to each of some 4.7 million poor Filipino
families. The money will come from a loan from the Asian Development Bank that all taxpayers will then pay for.
That?s a lot of money.
Wouldn?t it be better to employ the heads of these families instead of giving them the cash outright so that they
would not feel like beggars? The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prohibited begging,
even prohibiting people, on pain of arrest, from giving alms to beggars. That is to prevent mendicancy. But here it
is encouraging mendicancy by giving cash gifts to poor families instead of making them work for it.
If the poor work for their money, they will have self-respect and won?t feel like beggars. The people need jobs, not
doles. So employ them, if only to clean their communities, the creeks, esteros, and rivers of garbage, plant trees,
or repair roads.
Imagine the amount of work 4.7 million Filipinos can do. If each of them plants only one tree a day, that would be
4.7 million new trees each day. Multiply that by 365 days a year and soon our bald mountains will be full of trees. If
each one of them repairs only one meter of road a day, that means 4.7 million meters of roads repaired each day.
And if each one cleans only one meter of a waterway each day, that means 4.7 million meters of waterways
cleaned each day. And these people would get the credit for the good work that they have done. They would be
proud of it instead of feeling miserable because they are being treated as beggars.
Or make them undergo training for various trades?such as carpentry, masonry, plumbing, etc.?in exchange for the
cash gifts so that they can be gainfully employed.

But if you give the men money without them doing anything, then they will just stay home and, having nothing else
to do, beget more children. Worse, they may use the money to gamble or to buy drugs. Remember the saying, ?
The idle mind is the devil?s workshop.? Keep the people busy to keep them out of mischief.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20100909-291402/DSWDencouraging-mendicancy

Anti-Mendicancy Law
{ April 3, 2011 @ 11:37 pm } { Journalistic Feature Writing (daw) }
{ Tags: anti, anti-mendicany, francis, hughes, law, mendicancy,thirteenthtarot }
Presidential Decree No. 1563 also known as Anti-Mendicancy Law has caught my attention years ago,
boarding a public utility vehicle, I saw a sticker sign with a slogan in Cebuano Ang panghatag kay
sakto apan sa kadalanan dili husto. (It is right to give alms but in the streets, it is inappropriate.) as
far as I can remember there was a television advertisement on this law. Late President Ferdinand
Marcos implemented this law on June 11, 1978 stating that it promotes social justice, protection of life,
properly and dignity of the citizenry in endangered by rampant mendicancy. Mendicancy breeds crime,
creates traffic hazards, endangers health and exposes mendicants to indignities and degradation.
Mendicant refers to any person who has no visible and legal means of support or lawful employment
and who is physically able to work but neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling and instead
uses begging as a means of living. Exploited infant refers to an infant child 8 years and below who is
used in begging or one who accompanies a habitual vagrant. Habitual mendicant refers to one who
has been convicted of mendicancy. So far, (correct me if I am mistaken) no one was reported by this
law and people still give coins to the poor and more mendicants in different forms even use religion
which could be considered simony and criminal offense.

Looking into the deeper scope, I have interviewed exploited infants. They themselves are frightened to
talk to people since the bear ind mind that those people could be in the public employees of the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) but they have the urge to beg indirectly so as
not to recognize themselves as mendicants. According to their account, they are able to obtain
education in Palico elementary school here in Imus Cavite and their parents are working. They could
afford to eat 2-3 times a day, the reason why they have these rackets it is because of added value to
their allowance like jeepney fare and snacks. They could collect 100 pesos a day during holidays and
weekends, they also said that the government did not care about their needs.

The Church considers an exemption on the Anti-Mendicancy Law so as to practice their faith and fulfill
the mission. Part time instructor Fr. Antonio E. Lazaro Jr. said in an interview that it is preferable to give
alternatives like education and livelihood rather than money so as not to depend on daily funds of the
public.There has to be an absolute exemption since the government does not provide budget to the
Church. he said. To end up this entry, here is a quote to live by and learn furthermore on what we
yield. Give him a fish and he will live for a day, teach him how to fish and he will live for a lifetime.
Adelante!

http://thirteenthtarot.wordpress.com/2011/04/03/anti-mendicancy-law/

MAKABAGBAG-PUSO
Posted by Online Balita on Aug 29th, 2012 // No Comment

inShare

Marami pa rin ang hindi ganap na nakababatid na mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ng batas ang humingi at magbigay ng
limos sa mga marginalized o dehadong sektor ng mga mamamayan. Subalit karaniwang tanawin pa rin ang
naglipanang mga namamalimos at mga palaboy ng lansangan na walang alinlangan namang nakapagpapabagabag
ng ating kalooban.

Mahigit na tatlong dekada nang ipinatutupad ang Anti-Mendicancy Law o Presidential Decree 1563 (PD 1563) na
pinagtibay noong 1978. Ang naturang batas ay dapat nang susugan upang ito ay lalong makatugon sa mga
problemang panlipunan, tulad ng itinuturing na mga yagit, palaboy at ng kawan ng mga namamalimos.
Totoo, ang pamamalimos o mendicancy ay nagiging dahilan ng ibat ibang krimen, lumilikha ng traffic hazards,
nagbibigaypanganib sa kalusugan at lalong nagpapababa sa dignidad ng mismong mga namamalimos.
Itinatadhana ng naturang batas na ang sinumang mahuhuling namamalimos sa mga lansangan ay pagmumultahin
ng P500 o pagkakabilanggong hindi lalampas sa dalawang taon o ng parehong parusang ito alinsunod sa pasiya ng
hukuman. Ang tinatawag na habitual mendicants o paulit-ulit na namamalimos ay papatawan ng mas malaking
multang hindi hihigit sa P1,000 at pagkabilanggong hindi lalampas sa apat na taon o ang dalawang parusang ito.
Gayunman, ang mga magbibigay ng limos ay pagmumultahin lamang ng P20 sa bawat paglabag; isang malaking

kabalintunaan o irony ang probisyong ito na kailangang susugan. Kung tutuusin, ang mga nagbibigay ng limos ang
dapat patawan ng mabigat na parusa sapagkat sila ang mistulang humihikayat sa paglabag ng PD 1563.
Subalit paano nga ba natin matitiis na hindi abutan ng kahit munting halaga o karaniwang pagkain ang isang pulubi
na nakalahad ang mga kamay? Likas na maawain ang mga Pilipino at laging nakahandang dumamay sa mga
nangangailangan, lalo na sa mga street beggars.
May pagkakataon, kung sabagay, na ang ating pagkamahabagin ay pinalalamig ng mga ulat na ang ilang
namamalimos ay kinakasangkapan ng mga sindikato. Sinasabing sila ay kinakandili ng naturang grupo at inihahatid
sa ibat ibang lugar na pagpapalimusan ng mga pulubi; ang kinikita ay pinaghahatian umano.
Ang ganitong situwasyon ang dapat makatawag ng pansin ng Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD). Sa pamamagitan ng conditional cash transfer (CCT), malulunasan ang mendicancy problem at epektibong
maipatutupad ang Anti-Mendicancy Law o PD 1563.

http://www.balita.net.ph/2012/08/makabagbag-puso/
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to discover the effectiveness of the Anti-Mendicancy Law or thePresidential
Decree no. 1563. This study also aims to answer the following questions:1.What are the
views of the Legal Management students regarding mendicants as part of the
society?2.What percentage of Legal Management students think that the AntiMendicancy Law iseffective?3.What actions have been done to enforce the AntiMendicancy Law?
Interview QuestionsInterview questions for lawyer:
1.What actions have been done by the past and present government to enforce the AntiMendicancy Law?2.What instances/ cases have you handled that tackled the AntiMendicancy Law?3.What is your perspective on the effectiveness of the Anti-Mendicancy
Law?4.As a lawyer, what do you think is lacking in the Anti-Mendicancy Law?5.Why is
the said law not being strongly implemented today?6.What are the reasons why AntiMendicancy Law is created?7 . W h y d o y o u t h i n k t h e r e a r e m e n d i c a n t s ?
Follow up:
Are there enough jobs to cover the needs of the mendicants?
Interview questions for LM students:
1.As an LM student, what are your views regarding mendicants as part of the society?2.As
a student and a future lawyer, what can you do to lessen the number of mendicants?3.What
is your perspective on the effectiveness of the Anti-Mendicancy Law?4.Why do you think
the mendicants pursue you to ask for alms?5.Why do you think there are more mendicants
around school premises?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/73212434/Problem-and-Interview-Questions

Anti-Mendicancy Law: Missionaries ask for exemption

By Jessica Ann R. Pareja/JPM | Updated November 29, 2010 12:00 AM

CEBU, Philippines Missionaries of the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ asked the Cebu City Council
(PMCC) to exempt them from some provisions of the city's Anti-Mendicancy Ordinance after they were allegedly
prohibited recently from taking gifts from people and from teaching the Gospel.
In their letter to councilor Councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, chairman of the committee on social services, PMCC
President Bro. Steven Lee also asked for the amendment of City Ordinance (CO) 1631 specifically the definition of a
'mendicant' to prevent confusion.
"After having been able to scan over the provisions of CO 1631, I have found out that categorically, we may fall into
those classified as mendicants. However, the categories are so vast that they don't include the purpose of preaching
and love offering receiving," Lee said.
CO 1631 defines a 'mendicant' as individuals depending on alms for a living or pertaining to a beggar or a member of
a religious order forbidden to own property and who must beg for a living.
Lee said that the 'alms' that they take are not ordinary alms but these are what people offer to God. He added that
they are not beggars, as some of them are professionals in different fields.
"We clearly say that we do not own anything but we have donated those which we have left to the church and receive
our living from our brethren and secondly, from other people," Lee said.
Lee and his fellow missionaries complained that the ordinance have placed them in a compromised situation. The
PMCC wants the council to amend the ordinance and allow them to put an offering box of the right size so that people
who want to express sympathy may be able to help.
"Therefore, we ask to allow us to continue this life-bound work we are into- the preaching of the Gospel along street
corners. Lately, we had been prohibited from taking gifts from people and to preach the gospel. We believe and stand

firm that what we have been doing are scriptural, thus we cannot denounce such teaching. We wish to continue to
enjoy our freedom of religion and all religious activities alike," Lee said. (FREEMAN)

http://208.184.76.180/freeman/news-cebu/634486/anti-mendicancy-lawmissionaries-ask-for-exemption the fair and fearless freeman

Mendicancy in the Philippines

Is a Culture of Begging on the Rise?
Posted by Joel Adriano, 8th July 2008

In a country where the basic costs of food and transportation are growing rapidly while employment
opportunities remain low, begging is on the rise and remittances sent from abroad often provide a quality of life
otherwise unattainable. Is this fostering a culture of mendicancy? What are the human costs of such a
phenomenon?
(From Manila) YOU CAN SEE THEM EVERYWHERE. In the streets, on bridges, in front of convenience stores
and on buses. In the Philippines, beggars are a common sight, and one that often evokes pity, especially the
children. However, beggars can become a nuisance, poking and prodding to call attention to themselves.
Begging used to be a last resort. For older Filipino generations, there is too much pride at stake. But now
mendicancy has become a way of life for some, and a substitute for official employment. Some beggars have
gone to the lengths of developing intricate tactics and techniques. Gone are the days in which you might have
seen a blind person playing guitar while appreciative spectators parted ways after leaving a few coins. Many
beggars now resort to acting, and even use infants as props. There are those who pretend to be mute, and
hand out pieces of paper asking for alms. Some tell stories that they need to buy medicine for hospitalized
relatives. Also common are children suddenly appearing in between traffic stops to quickly clean the
windshields of vehicles or climb inside public utility jeepneys and wipe the shoes of passengers before asking
for money.
Among ethnic tribes, the Igorots used to travel to Manila during Yuletide season. With crude instruments at
hand, they would go from house to house entertaining people with their traditional dance in hopes that people
would be kind enough to give them some money. Later they were replaced by the Aetas, who began begging
after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991 which displaced them from their homes. Nowadays the largest ethnic
groups to have succumbed to mendicancy are the Badjaos from Mindanao, also referred to as Samal and sea
gypsies.
So, is there really a culture of mendicancy in the Philippines?

POVERTY
Evangelina Lawas, Head Social Worker at the Nayon ng Kabataan-Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD), said that the problem is largely rooted in poverty and not so much in a culture of
begging.

Due to the sheer magnitude of the problem, the governments power to influence the situation and to
protect the innocent is limited With around 30 percent of the population below the poverty line, and with
very few employment opportunities, some people resort to desperate means to earn, and one easy way out is
begging. What is appalling, Lawas said, is that some parents actually use their children even babies to beg
in the streets, exposing them to accidents and other risks.
The law prohibits and penalizes mendicancy as well as the exploitation of children, which is tantamount to child
abuse. However, for lack of funding and due to the sheer magnitude of the problem, the governments power to
influence the situation and to protect the innocent is limited.
Also, there are no beggars if there are no givers. But the Christian teaching of giving alms to the poor and
needy, as well as the feeling of guilt at being able to afford luxury while others are going hungry, can be skillfully
exploited by beggars.

ASSITANCE, BETTER THROUGH INSTITUTIONS

However, rather than giving alms to beggars on the street, which will only encourage more poor to beg, Lawas
emphasizes that any assistance would be better channeled through charitable institutions and organizations.
Fernando Kuehnel, a Filipino-American and a former street child himself, now living in the US, generously
donates and volunteers time to raise funds for the Nayon ng Kabataan.

However, begging is just one of

the more obvious forms of mendicancy He even put up a web site, House of Kabataan, for the orphanage.

Kuehnel said he was rescued and brought by the DSWD at the Nayon and was later adopted by an American
couple at age 13. He usually comes home to the Philippines to visit the orphanage and to share his blessings
with other street children who are being cared for at the Nayon ng Kabataan, as a way of giving back.
I made a promise to God when I was 10 years old in the streets of Manila that if he got me out of this situation I
would help other kids. I am fulfilling that promise now, he said. I do it because I know how these kids feel. I
want to show them that someone cares.

DEBT OF GRATITUDE
Politicians and bureaucrats are equally guilty of mendicancy, as they have become addicted to loan
assistance from rich countries However, begging is just one of the more obvious forms of mendicancy.
There are less obvious forms which serve to perpetuate mendicancy, such as political patronage and
the lagay system of bribery.
Film director and activist Behn Cervantes wrote that self-serving politicians have long realized that the havenots are taught to believe they are dependent on the generosity of the haves, who take advantage of this by

practicing a culture of patronage. Thus, they wield power over the have-nots through another Filipino
phenomenon, the utang na loob or debt of gratitude.

Around the world, over eight million Filipinos are sending billions of dollars back home Lawas explained
that it was during the long 20-year rule of the Marcos regime that such an attitude became deeply ingrained.
On a national scale, she said, politicians and bureaucrats are equally guilty of mendicancy, as they have
become addicted to loan assistance from rich countries and development agencies.
TV shows are also perpetuating another kind mendicancy, the dole-out mentality. Daytime game shows in
particular send the wrong signals. The public pins its hopes on a game of chance and people learn to gamble
money in hopes that luck will smile on them and alter their lives. When everything else fails, they head abroad,
which fosters begging of yet another form.

REMITTANCES
Around the world, over eight million Filipinos are sending billions of dollars back home.

Lawas prefers to

see the positive side of remittances: they help many families that otherwise would have gone hungry They
are throwing lifelines to poor families and keeping the Philippine economy afloat. The Philippines, along with
Mexico and India, is the largest recipient of foreign exchange inflows from overseas workers, who mostly reside
in the US, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and United Arab Emirates.
On a general scale, the huge number of remittance sent by overseas workers fosters dependency. A study
commissioned by the International Monetary Fund said that the inflow of money by workers abroad creates
a moral hazard; there is danger that the recipient will become dependent on his or her working kin abroad.
Instead of contributing to the family upkeep, some members, even those of the appropriate age, lose their
incentive to work and begin to regard the money as a right.
Lawas, however, prefers to see the positive side of remittances, since they help many families that otherwise
would have gone hungry.
With inflation worsening due to surging oil and food prices, expect more people to go abroad within the next
couple of years. As it is, poor families without relatives working abroad might be the most desperate ones.

Joel Adriano http://english.safe-democracy.org/2008/07/08/mendicancy-in-the-philippines

Saturation campaign vs mendicants revived

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

THE Tacloban City Social Welfare Office is set to conduct anew a saturation drive against the mendicants in the city.
In a recent press conference City Social Welfare officer Liliosa Baltazar said it has been observed that mendicants,
particularly those belonging to the minority tribe of Badjaos, are roaming around the citys streets.
The presence of these mendicants, the city social welfare officer said, is not only causing eyesore, but more so,
disturbs the privacy of the people.
They are everywhere. We dont like them begging for alms while we are eating, for example. That is why, we will
renew our campaign against mendicancy and for the public to help us in this campaign, Baltazar said.
We will strictly implement our anti-mendicancy law, she said.
The anti-mendicancy law is provided under Presidential Decree 1563 wherein violators could be fined from P500 up
to P1,000 with an imprisonment term of not less than 4 years.
Baltazar also said some of these mendicants are renting their temporary shelters, reason why she is also urging
owners of these boarding houses to help them on their campaign. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)

http://beta.sunstar.com.ph/tacloban/local-news/2012/05/30/saturation-campaign-vs-mendicantsrevived-224224