Begging = P500 Fine Plus Two To Four Years In Jail.

[Americano]

Presidential Decree 1563 or “The Anti- Mendicancy Law makes it illegal to beg.  Its also illegal to give money to beggars in some cities.

 

https://anc.yahoo.com/news/caught-on-camera--street-kids-turn-violent-vs--mall-security-guard-000313839.html

 

Watch the video to see how disrespectful some beggars are even to Security Guards.

 

More street children are seen begging on the streets during the Christmas season. But some of them are more aggressive in panhandling, as shown by an incident in a Quezon City mall, which was caught on camera.

A concerned citizen managed to get a video of one such encounter at SM The Block in Quezon City.

A girl turned violent when the security guard asked her to stop harassing the shoppers inside the mall. Before she ran out of the mall, the girl hit the guard.

Outside the mall, the girl was seen with her friends, who also started to heckle the guard. One of the girl’s friends even threw a metal object (which looked like a table marker used in restaurants) at the guard.

Despite being provoked, the guard didn’t do anything to the girl and her friends. The mall management later praised him for keeping his cool.

Although Presidential Decree 1563 or “The Anti- Mendicancy Law of 1978” prohibits and penalizes mendicancy or begging, the practice has not been stopped—especially during the holidays.

Some street kids get on jeepneys and buses try to get cash from the passengers. Others knock on car windows and sell sampaguita garlands. There are also those who hang out at malls to beg from shoppers who are lining up for rides.

Mabel Cayco—who works for the Quezon City Social Services Development Department—said, “Mga hardened na ‘yan at galing talaga sa dysfunctional family. Alam na nila ang mga karapatan nila kaya ang mga pulis natin hirap silang hulihin. Ni hindi nila mahawakan ang mga ‘yan.”

By law, though, those who are caught begging are supposed to pay a fine of P500 and are even jailed for two to four years. Those who give to mendicants are also fined P20.

While social workers are making an effort to take in kids from the streets, the children often go right back to begging.

Social workers say the cycle continues because nobody has been arrested for begging or giving alms to beggars. They say there is a need to update the existing law against mendicancy.

[scott h]

May be if I print this decree and post it on my gate it will keep the squads of marauding squatter kids from gathering, beating tin cans and singing Christmas carols (of key) at the top of their voices............naw didn't think so.

 

The way I handle begging street kids who squat outside of markets, or spot me walking down the street, is that when they look up with those sad eyes and hand out, is to stop, plaster that big ole 'merican grin on my face, reach down and shake the offered hand. The smiles, grins and chuckles of Filipinos who see me do this tells me that a) they hate kids begging also or b) they think I am one heartless, cruel Kano. Either way the regular kids stop begging from me :thumbsup: .

 

One interesting form of begging is the "funeral" donation. In my area it seems that garbage collectors have a very high mortality rate. One, sometimes two guys will tap at the gate yelling "Apo" and shove a dirty crumpled envelope through the bars and mutter something like "garbage man patay". I even had one guy show me an outdated death certificate. I just stand there with a stupid look on my face and make out that I can not understand what they want. Since I am retired and in my own house, my ability to stand there and out wait them is endless :morning1: .

But IT IS part of living here in the Philippines, IMHO a guy has to find his own way of dealing with it or slowly go insane. We sure as hell aint gonna change it :1 (103): .

:cheersty:

[Mike J]

I do not give to beggars, with a single exception.  There is one lady here in town who begs, and I honestly believe she has no other choice (perhaps retarded).  One day I was having lunch and noticed her just down the street sitting on the sidewalk.  She was eating some rice.  As usual, the stray dogs came over to see if they could beg/steal some of her food.  In the entire year that I have been here, this is the first time that I have seen ANYONE show kindness to these stray dogs.  She gave them affection, pets, and then a portion of her own food.  Nearly brought tears to my eyes to see someone so destitute, show such kindness.  Now, when I see her, I do not wait for her to come to me and ask.  I walk over and put the coins in her hand.  

[Tukaram (Tim)]

We have few beggars in Iloilo, and most beg in silence (and as Kipling said of India "beg in silence, starve in silence").  But when we visited Cebu my wife was scared of the aggressive packs of beggar kids.  I had forgotten how bad they are there!

 

I have been aware of the anti mendicancy laws for quite a while - but most locals seem to have never heard of it.  Although we have signs on our pedestrian bridges about it  :tiphat:

[Dave Hounddriver]

Beggars getting sent to jail?  With a roof over their head and food to eat?  Won't there be more beggars?

 

Reminds me of the Canadian petty criminals who smash windows on Christmas Eve so they will get Christmas dinner in a cell.

[JJReyes]

My wife and I won't give money to beggars, but are extra generous to street working children. We would pay for a sampaguita lei and either one of us would take a picture. I would give them P100 and say, "Model fee." Big smile. If multiple kids are around, the amount drops to P20 each.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

We have few beggars here in Iloilo but yesterday some kid started following us down the street with his hand out.  I could not understand what he was saying but I got the idea.  After politely saying no - and he kept following I decided to stick my hand in his face and say "gimme, gimme, gimme".  He looked at me like I was crazy and left.  The security guard at the bank we were passing laughed his ass off.    :tiphat:

[anthonytt]

Everytime I park my scooter to go into a store like a bakery, pharmacy, jolibee I always find a cardboard cover on my seat when I return. And a little kid with his/her hand out. I always give a peso just because that's the way I am. But if its raining out and they keep my seat dry, then I'll whip out a 5peso. I always have to yell to them "say Salamat oi!"

[frosty (chris)]

Went to the beach here one time with friends and a group of urchins came to our hut as we were about to leave asking for money, we gave them all our left over food, still in containers and all the cool drink and snacks that we were going to take home, when we had packed up and starting to go, we got told politely to f.....k off.

[JJReyes]

Went to the beach here one time with friends and a group of urchins came to our hut as we were about to leave asking for money, we gave them all our left over food, still in containers and all the cool drink and snacks that we were going to take home, when we had packed up and starting to go, we got told politely to f.....k off.

Maybe they already ate.