Anyone who’s ever been to Manila would know being shirtless while having a beer in a side-street eatery is fairly common. Afterall, hot and humid weather can last all year round.
And just like men in China, Filipinos, especially those in manual labor jobs, don’t shy away from rolling their shirts all the way up to their chests. Make-shift crop tops may look strange but they’re surely breezy.
But an ordinance approved by the Quezon City government last week says it will punish people who are shirtless in public areas.
According to a report by Inquirer, the ordinance was created to ban nudity in public spaces. This includes people who are completely nude or those who are “topless” or “bottomless.”
And it’s going to cost a pretty penny for those who get caught.
The maximum punishment for being nude in a public place will either be a fine of PHP5,000 (US$96.63) or one year of jail time. Those who have only been caught violating the ordinance up to three times will receive a lighter punishment; first-time offenders will either have to pay PHP1,000 or do three days of community service. Violators with mental illnesses will not be punished.
Implementation of the new ordinance will start in November, but what’s a guy to do when the hot summer months come around?
