ESTABLISHING AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR THE
563 CONTROL AND ERADICATION OF
MENDICANCY, PROVIDING PENALTIES,
1
PD
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Mendicant
A Mendicant refers to any person who
has no visible and legal means of
support, or unlawful employment and
who is physically able to work but
neglects to apply himself to some lawful
calling and instead uses begging as a
means of living
Who are punishable?
A mendicant shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not
01 exceeding P500.00 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding
2 years or both at the discretion of the court.
A habitual mendicant (one who has been convicted of mendicancy
under this law two or more times) shall be punished by a fine not
02 exceeding P1,000.00 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding
4 years or both at the discretion of the court.
03 Parents of exploited infants or minors (those enumerated under
section 4) are punishable under P.D. 603, unless they are
themselves mendicants.
04 Any person who abets mendicancy by giving alms directly to
mendicants, exploited infants and minors on public roads, sidewalks,
parks and bridges shall be punished by a fine nor exceeding P20.00.
SECTION 4 - Apprehension of and Services of Persons found Begging
•Any infants or child 8 years old and below who is found begging or is
being utilized by a mendicant for purposes of begging shall be
apprehended as a NEGLECTED CHILD under Article 141 of PD 603 and
shall be committed to the custody and care of the Department of Social
Services and Development or to any duly licensed child placement agency
or individual.
•Any minor over 9 years of age under 15 found begging or is being utilized
for purposes of begging and who acted without discernment shall be
apprehended as a NEGLECTED CHILD under Article 141 of Presidential
Decree No. 603 and shall be committed to the custody and care of the
Department of Social Services and Development or to any duly licensed
placement agency or individual.
SECTION 4 - Apprehension of and Services of Persons found Begging
•Any minor over 9 years of age and under 15 who is found begging or is
being utilized for the purpose of begging and who acted with discernment
shall be proceeded against in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3,
Title VIII of Presidential Decree No. 603.
•Any person not otherwise covered in the preceding paragraph of this
Section who is found begging and who is physically or mentally incapable o
f gainful occupation shall be provided the integrated package of services by
the Department of Social Services and Development, the Welfare units of l
ocal governments and other cooperating agencies.
8 1 5
.3 REVISED PENAL CODE - ARTICLE 202
T NO
AC
Act No. 3815- Article 202
Article 202. Vagrants and prostitutes; Penalty. - The following are vagrants:
1. Any person having no apparent means of subsistence, who has the
physical ability to work and who neglects to apply himself or herself to som
e lawful calling;
2. Any person found loitering about public or semi-public buildings or
places or trampling or wandering about the country or the streets without vi
sible means of support;
3. Any idle or dissolute person who ledges in houses of ill fame; ruffians or
pimps and those who habitually associate with prostitutes;
4. Any person who, not being included in the provisions of other articles of
this Code, shall be found loitering in any inhabited or uninhabited place bel
onging to another without any lawful or justifiable purpose;
5. Prostitutes.
For the purposes of this article, women who, for money or profit, habitually
indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct, are deemed to be prost
itutes.
Any person found guilty of any of the offenses covered by this articles shall
be punished by arresto menor or a fine not exceeding 200 pesos, and in
case of recidivism, by arresto mayor in its medium period to prision
correccional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from 200 to 2,000
pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court.
AN ACT DECRIMINALIZING VAGRANCY,
10 15 8 AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE ARTICLE 202 OF
. ACT NO. 3815, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE
NO
RA KNOWN AS THE REVISED PENAL CODE
Republic Act No. 10158
"Article 202. Prostitutes; Penalty. – For the purposes of this article, women
who, for money or profit, habitually indulge in sexual intercourse or
lascivious conduct, are deemed to be prostitutes.
"Any person found guilty of any of the offenses covered by this article shall
be punished by arresto menor or a fine not exceeding 200 pesos, and in
case of recidivism, by arresto mayor in its medium period to prision
correctional in its minimum period or a fine ranging from 200 to 2,000
pesos, or both, in the discretion of the court."
Section 3. Immediate Release of Convicted Persons
All persons serving sentence for violation of the provisions
of Article 202 of the Revised Penal Code on Vagrancy prior
to its amendment by this Act shall be immediately released
upon effectivity of this Act: Provided, That they are not
serving sentence or detained for any other offense or
felony.
