Guidelines on bingo socials in city issued

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Bingo social activities must be covered by a barangay resolution and a project proposal detailing where the proceeds would go and the duration must not exceed 15 days.

            

These were among guidelines issued by Mayor Mauricio Domogan to keep bingo social activities in line and prevent abuse of the Court of Appeals decision upholding the legality of such activities.

            

The mayor in his Administrative Order No. 79 series of 2012 said, “There is a need to come out with the appropriate guidelines in order to prevent bingo social organizers from using the fund-raising activities as guise for gambling activities and defeat the purpose of the Local Government Code n relation to the conduct of barangay fund-raising activities.”

            

He said the city government has received numerous verbal and written complaints that the supposed bingo social activities sponsored by the barangays are being converted into gambling dens at night until the wee hours of the morning. He said there were also complains that these activities are becoming public nuisance.

            

During a press briefing, the mayor disclosed that a number of bingo sa barangay activities have been ordered closed for various violations.

            

The mayor said the guidelines are within the ambit of the Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 and are not contrary to the recent decision of the CA.

            

“Article 101 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines allows the barangays to conduct their own fund-raising activities without securing the necessary permits from the concerned local governments and national government agencies, provided that, such fund-raising activities shall comply with national policy standards and regulations on morals, health and safety of the persons participating therein,” the mayor noted.

            

He said barangays also need to secure a special permit from City Hall if the venue of the activity is not an exclusive property of the barangay.  He said the specific hours of operation will be indicated in the permit.

            

The complete guidelines are as follows:

            

*No bingo social activity shall be conducted in the 128 barangays of the city without an approved Barangay Resolution authorizing the same provided that, it is duly supported by a Project Proposal detailing the purposes by which the generated funds will be used, and that the barangay bingo social shall only be given a maximum duration of 15 days without extension;

            

*Organizers of the barangay bingo socials in the different barangays shall not be allowed to start such fund-raising activity without presenting to the City Mayor the duly approved Barangay Resolution, stating among others the place where such activity will be undertaken, the duration of the activity and the Project proposal relative thereto.  Organizers who start their bingo social activity without having informed the City Government shall be automatically barred from pursuing such event;

            

*Organizers shall submit an audited financial statement on the proceeds of the activity three days after the termination of the activity.  Failure of the organizers to comply with the same shall be a ground to disqualify them from conducting future bingo socials in the barangays;

            

*No bingo social activity shall be conducted in identified parks and playgrounds duly registered under the barangay of city;

           

 *Strictly no gambling of any form shall be allowed and the Baguio City Police Office shall be tasked to closely monitor the bingo social activity and shall automatically close their operations once the organizers shall been found to be tolerating or allowing gambling instead of the regular bingo games;

            

*Prizes to be offered by the bingo social organizers shall all be in kind and cash prizes are not allowed during the duration of the activity;

            

*Individuals below 18 years of age shall not be allowed to play bingo or loiter around the place where the activity is being done.