PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is eyeing to repeal the anti-mendicancy law, saying there was nothing wrong to give alms to the mendicants.
Duterte made the remark at a Christmas gathering with barangay officials in Davao City on Tuesday evening.
He expressed disappointment over the banning of caroling during Christmas season. He said he would rescind the Mendicancy Law, or the Presidential Decree 1563 implemented by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1978.
“One of the things I really hate really is that caroling has been prohibited. I tell you, do not believe that,” the President said.
“I intend to repeal that [Mendicancy] law. It’s not good. Why can’t we [go caroling]? During Christmas, there were no children who are caroling because it was prohibited. I could not even see the rational that they are mendicants and are always asking for money,” he added.
The Mendicancy Law aims to prevent the exploitation of infants and children through mendicancy and provide habilitative services for those already exploited or in immediate danger of exploitation.
Under the law, any infant or child found begging or being utilized by a mendicant for purposes of begging will be apprehended as a neglected child and will be committed to the custody and care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The DSWD has advised the public that this holiday season, they could give donations to street children through the department or local government units instead of giving alms on the streets.
Duterte said that apart from the Mendicancy Law, he is also mulling to repeal other laws in time. He, however, did not mention the laws he wanted to nullify.
"They are prohibiting what is good. There are so many laws that I want to repeal. But anyway, that would come," he said. (Sunnex)
