Law Summary
Purpose
- Prevent mendicancy.
- Prevent exploitation of infants and children through begging.
- Provide habilitative services for exploited or at-risk children.
- Promote rehabilitation of minors and mendicants through integrated services covering prevention, habilitation, interception, remediation, and rehabilitation.
Definitions
- Mendicant: Person able to work but does not and relies on begging.
- Exploited Infant/Child: Child 8 years or below used in begging.
- Habitual Mendicant: Convicted two or more times for mendicancy.
- Licensed Child Placement Agency/Individual: Institution/person licensed to care and place children.
- Integrated Developmental Services: Preventive, habilitative, interceptive, remedial, and rehabilitative services.
Apprehension and Services for Beggars
- Infants/children 8 and below found begging or used in begging are considered neglected and committed to DSWD or licensed agencies.
- Minors over 9 but below 15 without discernment apprehended as neglected.
- Those with discernment processed per PD No. 603.
- Physically or mentally incapacitated individuals provided integrated developmental services.
Criminal Liability
- Mendicants face fines up to P500 or imprisonment up to 2 years, or both.
- Habitual mendicants face fines up to P1,000 or imprisonment up to 4 years, or both.
- Parents of exploited children prosecuted under PD No. 603.
- Persons giving alms directly to mendicants in public places fined up to P20.
Information Program
- Department of Public Information to conduct nationwide education on the law.
- Public encouraged to contribute only to lawful fundraising and avoid giving alms directly except through organized agencies.
Local Government Responsibilities
- Provide socio-economic programs for mendicants.
- Establish reception/action centers, workshops, homes, and other facilities.
Health Services
- Department of Health to provide necessary health services for mendicants.
Law Enforcement
- Department of National Defense responsible for law enforcement in the implementation of the law.
Integrated Network of Services
- DSWD to coordinate and provide integrated services for exploited infants, children, minors, and adult mendicants.
- Coordinate with local government units and private organizations.
Appropriations
- P2,000,000 allotted from the National Treasury to support the law's activities.
Repealing Clause
- Inconsistent laws, rules, and regulations repealed or modified.
Separability Clause
- Invalidity of any provision does not affect the validity of other provisions.
Effectivity
- Decree takes effect immediately upon promulgation.