Public hearing set to amend ordinance granting seniors’ aid

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the ordinance that grants annual financial assistance to qualified senior citizens.

It was decided to hold public hearing after the committee on laws does not see any valid ground to amend Section 5 of City Ordinance 2453.

"Finally, since the amendment imposes  a new qualification for the entitlement of Senior Citizens to the financial assistance, this Committee sees it fit to conduct public hearing in order to have affected parties air their sides," the committee chaired by Councilor Raymond Garcia reported.

Councilor Sisinio Andales has proposed to amend the qualification of the beneficiaries. Instead of the senior citizen must be a registered voter as of year 2010, it was changed to 2016. For those elderly who fails to claim their cash aid for three consecutive times will be automatically deleted in the payroll but will be allowed to re-apply in the Department of Social Welfare and Services as new applicant.

The public hearing is scheduled on December 13, 2016.

Domingo Chavez, head of the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs, said the proposed amendment should be discussed thoroughly since these are not minor changes.

Chavez told The FREEMAN that the amendments, if approved, will disqualify senior citizens who were voters from years 2010 to 2015. Last week the city government distributed another P1,000 assistance to the 67,300 registered senior citizens. It was the eight tranche this year.

The city government vowed to complete the P12,000 assistance before Christmas. Odessa G.Leyson (FREEMAN)