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Now, lawmaker wants tattooing, body piercing regulated

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/09/2008 10:26 PM

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After a colleague moved for the regulation of town fiestas and other local celebrations because of the financially hard times, a congressman has filed a bill that seeks to limit the practice of body piercing and tattoing only to licensed specialists. 

According to Rep. Narciso Santiago III (Alliance of Rural Concerns party-list), body piercing or tattoing could affect one's health if done in unsanitary conditions.

Dr. Mia Versoza, a dermatologist from St. Luke's Medical Center in Quezon City, confirmed Santiago's assertion in House Bill No. 5056, saying that people who get tattoos and body piercings are at risk of contracting serious diseases like hepatitis and AIDS if strict sanitation measures are not followed. 

Tattoo artists and afficionados, meanwhile, agreed that guidelines have to be followed to ensure the safety of people who want to get piercings or tattoos.

They said this may help the reputation of the tattoo industry in the country and may even attract tourists in the long run. However, they are afraid that excessively strict guidlines might also force some to go underground. This, they said will pose a greater danger to the safety of potential clients.

Artists advised people who want to get a body piercing or tattoo to check the legitimacy of a tattoo parlor before having a procedure done. They should always look for the business permit of an establishment and its corresponding permits from the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry. 

Santiago's bill to regulate tattooing and body piercings to legitimate artists followed House Bill 5161 of Zambales Rep. Antonio Diaz against celebration of fiestas, festivals and similar activities nationwide. 

"While these celebrations bring delight to our people, the fact remains that these affairs are grandiosely celebrated causing people to spend beyond their means," said Diaz. 

He said that in preparation for the celebration, people have been known to "squander time and money." 

"Moreover, donations are being asked from various sectors to finance stage shows, beauty contests and other unproductive activities," he added. 

The congressman also said that even overseas Filipino workers are not spared from the celebration because they go home for a vacation and spend their money to join fiesta activities. 

"It has been proven that Filipinos working abroad and those who spend their hard-earned money wisely become rich and prosperous in due time, while those who spend their earnings on unnecessary expenditures still experience the difficulty of making both ends meet." With a report from Atom Araullo, ABS-CBN News