Cebu City Official Wants Anti-Mendicancy Board to Deal With Hike in Street Dwellers

Cebu City Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella has said he will ask the executive department to reconvene the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Board to deal with the proliferation of street dwellers in the city.

The board takes care of the welfare of street dwellers by helping them return to their homes instead of living on the streets.

Labella said he has observed these past weeks that street dwellers are already utilizing the sidewalks and skywalks as their homes.

He cited areas along Fuente Osmeña, General Maxilom Ave. and Osmeña Blvd., among others.

A makeshift structure was even built on the skywalk near a mall along Osmeña Blvd., he said.

Most of these street dwellers, he said, are not from the city but have opted to stay because they make money out of begging.

Labella said he was apprehensive that government infrastructure would become breeding grounds for young people to do illegal acts.

“It looks very bad and unhealthy for the city. It also makes our city dirty,” he said. (PNA)
CVL/EB/EDS