Centenarians get financial aid from province

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu provincial government has given a total of P220,000 financial assistance to 11 centenarians in the province.

The Provincial Board approved the grant during its regular session on Monday, saying it’s the province’s gesture of honoring and recognizing centenarians for living a healthy lifestyle and attaining a century of existence “which every Filipino must be inspired and aspire for.”

“The physical conditions of these centenarians are no longer as healthy as before and they need financial assistance for the maintenance of their health,” reads part of the resolution sponsored by Board Members Raul Alcoseba and Grecilda Sanchez.

Among the centenarians who received the cash assistance is 104- year-old Tirso Alferez. In October last year, Alferez visited travelled barefoot from Toledo City to the office of Governor Hilario Davide III to ask for financial help but before he could reach the Capitol, he lost his money to a pickpocket at the Carbon market.

Other recipients were Ciriaco Mago (104),Nicolasa P. Biwang (105), and Consolacion Elladora (111), all from Toledo City; Eusebio Lacostales (100), Concepcion S. Villafuerte (103), Maria De la Paz Gimota (100), and Antonio M. Pasinabo (100) from Barili; Claudia Encabo    (101) and Isedra Estreba (101) from Turburan; and Perfecto C. Jimenez (103) fromBalamban.

Each of them received P20,000.

Alcoseba authored the ordinance creating the Cebu Provincial Senior Citizens’ Council whose mandate is to look after the welfare of the elderly and provides a comprehensive healthcare and rehabilitation system for disabled senior citizens.

The Provincial Senior Citizen Council has initially set aside P5 million for 2015, half of which is intended for persons with disabilities. — (FREEMAN)