As the Christmas season begins, the Cebu City Government is enforcing a strict “No Permit, No Caroling” policy.
According to the Cebu City Anti-Mendicancy Board, both carolers without permits and those who give them money will be fined P1,000. The board is urging aspiring carolers to secure permits from the Business Permit Licensing Office (BPLO) at Cebu City Hall.
Permitted carolers are allowed to sing at homes, offices, and stores; however, subdivisions and private estates with their own regulations are exempt from this policy, clarified Raquel Arce, head of the Cebu City Transportation Office and member of the Anti-Mendicancy Board.
The board reiterated that mendicants caroling in vehicles like buses and jeepneys are prohibited. Violators will be rescued and required to render community service, stated Dr. Lucelle Mercado, head of the board.
Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia expressed support for this policy.
