Matinee shows ordinance prohibit entry of children below 4 years old

On April 24, 1952 the Municipal Board of the City of Cebu enacted an ordinance prohibiting children below four years of age from being admitted in any theater, cinematograph or show house except during a matinee show.

The ordinance, sponsored by then Councilor Florencio S. Urot, seconded by Councilor Casimiro V. Madarang, provides an exception through matinee shows. A matinee show which are solely for the children irrespective of their ages, securing a permit from the city mayor and after paying to the city treasurer five pesos for every matinee show held.

The matinee show shall be restricted only during Sundays and legal holidays from the hours of 9:00 in the morning and 5:00 in the afternoon. The ordinance provides that any person, firm or corporation operating such theater, cinematograph or show house found guilty of violating any provision of the ordinance shall be punished by a fine of not exceeding two hundred pesos or imprisonment of not more than two months, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the Court.

The ordinance was approved during the term of Pedro Elizalde, the acting city mayor on June 4, 1952. The secretary to the mayor was Roman O. Mercader and the city council president (today's vice mayor) was Carlos J. Cuizon (who later became city mayor).

It is because of this ordinance that thereon, matinee shows were held in the city with elementary pupils and high school students as viewers in shows.

The ordinance of the Cebu City Municipal Board was submitted to the Cebu Provincial Board (at that time Cebu City was under the jurisdiction of the province and all its ordinances are subject to the approval of the board) on July 11, 1952.

The governor at the time was Sergio Osmeña, Jr., while the provincial board was only composed of two other members, namely, board members Pedro B. Uy Calderon and Sotero B. Cabahug. The ordinance was approved by the board, with Sergio Osmeña Jr. moving for its approval. At that time, the governor was part of the provincial board. The secretary of the board then was Ariston Cortes.

The other members of the Cebu City council at that time were Eulogio E. Borres, Florentino D. Tecson, Jose A. Cavan, Florencio S. Urot, Casimiro V. Madarang, Generoso Jaca, and Luis V. Diores.