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Sunday, November 27, 2005
Warning raised vs fake money
CEBU CITY -- After the spectacular welcome ceremony for the 23rd Southeast Asian Games last Friday, a Cebu City legislator is asking authorities to go after illegal moneychangers and makers of fake bills.
Councilor Edgardo Labella received reports that "some unscrupulous groups...are printing and distributing fake dollars in anticipation of the Christmas season as well as the influx of foreign tourists for the sports event."
In Manila, some 17,000 police and other law enforcers are being tapped for the opening ceremonies at the Luneta grandstand Sunday, with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and dignitaries from 11 nations in attendance.
More than 600 athletes from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are in Cebu for six events.
Local and foreign tourists are also visiting the city in time for the Christmas holidays.
"Some concerned citizens have also expressed their apprehension that the major event might entice various unscrupulous individuals, including illegal moneychangers, to take advantage of tourists and visitors," Labella said.
He asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the City Hall business permit section to work together "to rid the city of illegal money-changers and distributors of fake currencies."
In an interview, he said the arrival of local and foreign visitors in Cebu City, added with the "festive air" of the holiday season, might prove too tempting for others.
And although the sporting event's main beneficiaries in terms of profit are the travel and leisure-oriented establishments, such as hotels and clubs, small-scale businesses' sales are also bound to pick up.
This concerned him, Labella said, because it will really be a blow to all the efforts and the success the City has gained if local and foreign visitors would be "hoodwinked by operators of counterfeit dollars and illegal moneychangers."
The effect would likewise be an international debacle, considering that many Asian countries are closely monitoring the day-to-day events of the games, he said.
"It would really save us from an embarrassing situation...if the concerned law enforcement agencies would initiate appropriate pro-active measures," Labella said.
Cebu City hosts dancesports at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel in Lahug, sepak takraw at the University of San Carlos gymnasium, and pencak silat at the New Cebu Coliseum.
Judo and karatedo will be held at the Mandaue City Sports Complex while mountainbike competitions will be staged in Danao City.
Six golds in dancesports and karatedo are set to be awarded today, the first full day of SEA Games competitions. (RHM of Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(November 27, 2005 issue)
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