Monday, August 4, 2008

Bohol Junkshop Owners Call For Justice

Junk shop owners joined the call of a lady mayor asking for a thorough study how to regulate the business of scrap metal buying instead of closing them for reasons beyond their control.

Loay Mayor Rosemarie Lim-Imboy had called on her fellow mayors, members of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP-Bohol) to come up with an ordinance that will strictly govern the business of scrap metal buying to avoid the incidents of stolen items being sold to them, particularly by minors.

The call of Mayor May Imboy was heard in newsbreaks on all local radio station last week. Junk shop owners said they agree with the idea of the Loay mayor. Preventing minors to steal scrap irons or other junks can be done with the cooperation of municipal officials, the police and barangay tanods in their respective localities.

Mayor May Imboy said scrap metal and junk shop business help a lot the country's economy and had provided jobs. It is also part of the recycling program and the Solid Waste Management Act of the government.

"In my own personal experience, my family was also in the scrap metal and junk shop business. It provides livelihood to many people and also help supply the need of the metal industry through recycling," Mayor May Imboy said.

From the scrap metal and junkshop business, the Lim Family enterprise has tremendously grown and is now among the top corporations in the country involved in the shipping industry, resort-hotels, tourism, finance, Cable TV system and many others.

Buying stolen scrap metal is penalized by certain laws like Anti-Fencing and in the Penal Code of the Philippines. Local governments are vested with authority to regulate the business within their localities and formulate ordinances under the Local Government Code RA 7160.

The issue on junkshop operation was under fire when the City of Tagbilaran closed all junkshops in the city and revoked their permits due to alleged increase in thievery and stealing of metals and other materials utilizing minors to do the job.

The police found it hard to prosecute the minors found stealing scrap metals due to the new law "Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act" that protects minors from criminal prosecution.

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