Seniors to get cash aid on December 17

CEBU, Philippines — The last tranche of financial assistance for at least 67,300 qualified senior citizens this year from the Cebu City government will be distributed on December 17, according to the Office of The Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).

“So far, we are on time kay pagka-December mahatag man tanan. I can remember naa’y years nato nga wa mahatag so succeeding year na [nahatag],” said OSCA head Domingo Chaves, Jr.

The distribution will be held at public schools, barangay gyms or barangay halls from 8 a.m. to 12 noon.

“Every barangay has already its own usual venue, pero mostly naa sa skwelahan. The distribution was supposed to be held on December 9. Nangayo mi og permission sa DepEd (Department of Education), nibalibad sila kay they have a week-long conference from December 9 to December 16, so we were forced to hold it on the 17th,” he said.

The amount of P2,000 will be given to each senior citizen to cover the months of November and December.

This will complete the P12,000 financial assistance that each senior citizen receives from the city government every year as mandated by Cebu City Ordinance No. 2453 or The Annual Financial Assistance to All Qualified Senior Citizens of Cebu City Ordinance.

Chaves said the senior citizens must go to the distribution centers themselves and present their senior citizen identification card since representatives will not be allowed to claim the financial assistance, even with a letter of authority.

However, bedridden senior citizens are exempted from this rule, he said.

“Naa nay disbursing officer nga in-charge sa bedridden. Di man sila kaadto. So kinahanglan, those pamilya sa senior nga naa’y bedridden, they must appoint a representative pag-adto sa barangay and then enlist the bedridden. They will list their address, contact number para [the disbursing officer] will deliver the money to the bedridden. Special gyud na sila,” he said.   There are currently more than 2,000 bed-ridden senior citizens in Cebu City, he said.

Meanwhile, senior citizens who will fail to claim on the set date of distribution may do so at the Cebu City Hall in the next 10 working after the 17th.

“Og di sila ka-ari og 10 working days, ibalik [ang kwarta] sa panudlanan,” he said.

With this, Chaves encouraged the senior citizens to go to the distribution centers on time and engage in other activities of OSCA so they may be aware of their rights and privileges.

“I’d just like nga kaning mga senior citizen unta, they must come early aron the distribution will be early also. Kung maka-sayo sila mas maayo lagi. There is much time for katong mga bed-ridden ma-hatdan,” he said. (FREEMAN)