ILIGAN CITY (PIA)--In response to complaints from motorists regarding aggressive behavior by beggars and mendicants when denied alms, the city government, through its City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), has issued a strong reminder that the Anti-Mendicancy Task Force is set to initiate rigorous enforcement against begging.
The Anti-Mendicancy Task Force is composed of the city government, Iligan City Police Office, Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Committee on Social Services, Friends of Sama-Bajau Iligan, faith-based organizations, and others.
According to the Anti-Mendicancy Law, anyone caught begging could face fines of up to P1,000 or a maximum of four years in prison.
For children who are apprehended, the CSWDO will take responsibility by bringing them to their office for protection and contacting their parents or guardians. As outlined under Republic Act 7610, exploitation of children will be met with legal consequences, which aim to provide special protection against child abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.
The law defines a mendicant as an individual who lacks apparent and lawful means of support or legitimate employment, possesses physical capability for work, yet fails to engage in a lawful occupation, resorting instead to begging as a means of living.
City Social Welfare and Development Head Evelyn Madrio shared some of their initiatives to solve the problem of mendicancy among the Bajaus in the city.
To ensure effective implementation of the law, a consultation dialogue was conducted with Bajau families and youth from Barangay Tambacan, where they were briefed about law enforcement and potential consequences for breaking the law.
"Dili gyud nato putlon ang atong consultation meeting with our partners sa pagpatuman aning balaura ug ang atoang [in implementing this law and in conducting] dialogue with the Bajau families," she said during the Iligan Media Forum.
Madrio added that the city government is willing to invest time and effort to positively transform the lives of the Bajaus, discouraging them from resorting to begging.
Previous initiatives have provided them with livelihood assistance, fishing equipment, food and non-food assistance, skills training, and cash-for-work opportunities. However, Madrio clarified that certain aid provided by the government was misused and not sustained.
Nevertheless, there are those who have pursued education and stable employment. Thirteen Bajau children graduated last July of this year, and there were 50 Bajau children enrolled at public schools.
Their regular program also provides daily supplemental feeding, basic literacy training, and value formation sessions for Bajau children.
Moreover, the CSWDO, in partnership with Save the Children, will also take steps to issue identification cards for both Bajau children and adults to distinguish them.
In monitoring, there are workers from CSWD who go around the streets every day. They also seek assistance from the Civil Security Unit to help monitor the whereabouts of the mendicants.
The city government also plans to organize a Bajau Summit to discuss providing livelihoods and programs, ensuring they no longer resort to begging.
To recall, former President Ferdinand Marcos issued Presidential Decree 1563, popularly known as the Anti-Mendicancy Law of 1978, to regulate and eliminate mendicancy while imposing penalties on offenders. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
