AGL 40.01 Decreased By ▼ -0.20 (-0.5%)
AIRLINK 127.00 Decreased By ▼ -0.64 (-0.5%)
BOP 6.69 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.3%)
CNERGY 4.51 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (1.35%)
DCL 8.64 Decreased By ▼ -0.09 (-1.03%)
DFML 41.04 Decreased By ▼ -0.12 (-0.29%)
DGKC 85.61 Decreased By ▼ -0.50 (-0.58%)
FCCL 33.11 Increased By ▲ 0.55 (1.69%)
FFBL 66.10 Increased By ▲ 1.72 (2.67%)
FFL 11.55 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.52%)
HUBC 111.11 Decreased By ▼ -1.35 (-1.2%)
HUMNL 14.82 Increased By ▲ 0.01 (0.07%)
KEL 5.17 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (2.58%)
KOSM 7.66 Increased By ▲ 0.30 (4.08%)
MLCF 40.21 Decreased By ▼ -0.12 (-0.3%)
NBP 60.51 Decreased By ▼ -0.57 (-0.93%)
OGDC 194.10 Decreased By ▼ -0.08 (-0.04%)
PAEL 26.72 Decreased By ▼ -0.19 (-0.71%)
PIBTL 7.37 Increased By ▲ 0.09 (1.24%)
PPL 153.79 Increased By ▲ 1.11 (0.73%)
PRL 26.21 Decreased By ▼ -0.01 (-0.04%)
PTC 17.18 Increased By ▲ 1.04 (6.44%)
SEARL 85.60 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.12%)
TELE 7.57 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-1.3%)
TOMCL 34.39 Decreased By ▼ -2.08 (-5.7%)
TPLP 8.82 Increased By ▲ 0.03 (0.34%)
TREET 16.82 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.12%)
TRG 62.55 Decreased By ▼ -0.19 (-0.3%)
UNITY 27.29 Decreased By ▼ -0.91 (-3.23%)
WTL 1.30 Decreased By ▼ -0.04 (-2.99%)
BR100 10,112 Increased By 26 (0.26%)
BR30 31,188 Increased By 17.5 (0.06%)
KSE100 94,996 Increased By 232 (0.24%)
KSE30 29,481 Increased By 71 (0.24%)

Manila authorities have banned Christmas carol singers from the streets for safety reasons and warned Sunday they would round up any who flouted the new rule. Bayani Fernando, who chairs the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, which overseas traffic and road safety, said the ban would take effect Monday and was due to concerns about road traffic.
"The plan, controversial as it might be, is not done out of whim but rather for the safety of the children and the motorists," he said.
Singers, including children from surrounding slums, have been converging on major Manila street intersections, knocking on vehicle windows for cash while carolling.
Last year a child was killed when he was run over by a speeding truck.
Fernando said groups of carol singers would still be able to go from house to house in suburban areas where they would not affect road traffic.
"What we are against are those who dart across thoroughfares knocking on vehicle windows to beg for alms since this is a surefire way to get maimed or killed," he said on radio in response to criticism.
He urged people "not to give alms" to street children and singers, saying doing so encourage them to stay on the streets where they were in danger. "Let us just give to charitable institutions which can help more."
Fernando said those rounded up would be handed over to the social welfare department.
The Philippines is Asia's bastion of Roman Catholicism, with more than 80 percent of its 87 million belonging to that faith. It also celebrates arguably the world's longest Christmas season, starting officially on December 16 with dawn masses.

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2007

Comments

Comments are closed.