President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he wants the mendicancy law amended.

He made the statement during his speech in Davao City as he lamented that because of the law, children were prohibited from caroling in the streets.

"One of the things I really hate is, this caroling has been prohibited...I intend to repeal that (anti-mendicancy) law. It's not good," he said.

Duterte said he no longer sees children caroling during Christmas season because it has been prohibited. He said he could not see the "rationale”.

"Those which are good are being removed. There are lots of laws that I want to be repealed. But anyway that would come," he said.

During the previous administration, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman urged the public not to entertain children soliciting or asking for alms, particularly those on the streets.

Even current Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo called on the public to refrain from giving alms that encourages kids to roam streets, placing their lives in danger.

Presidential Decree No. 1563 or the Mendicancy Law was issued by President Ferdinand Marcos in 1978.

He made the law to promote social justice and protect life, property and dignity of the citizenry in endangered by rampant mendicancy. Celerina Monte/DMS