Mandaue seniors to get P10T yearly

CEBU, Philippines — Mandaue City’s registered senior citizens will soon receive an additional ?2,000 financial assistance, now totaling financial assistance to seniors at ?10,000 per year.

This after Mandaue City Council in its regular session yesterday approved on second reading the proposed ordinance adding ?2,000 financial assistance to all senior citizens of the city.

Currently, senior citizens in the city are receiving ?8,000 per year.

City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, the main author of the ordinance, said that beginning this December, senior citizens will receive ?5,000 each as they are giving this financial assistance every six months. The last payout was done last April.

“Acknowledging the vital role, contributions, and active involvement of the elderly population in advancing nation-building and fostering the city's development, there arises a necessity to augment the annual financial assistance provided to senior citizens of Mandaue City,” part of the proposed ordinance read.

The increase of the financial assistance shall be immediately implemented starting the second tranche of 2024 and every year thereafter unless amended, modified or repealed accordingly. Only those individuals validated and qualified to receive the first tranche financial assistance for 2024 will be eligible to receive the increased amount of ?5,000.

City Councilor Marie Immaline Cortes-Zafra said that the city government is currently allocating ?240 million for the 28,000 registered senior citizens.

She added that they are projecting an increase of 2,000 more registered senior citizens, and the ?2,000 each additional increase in the financial assistance means they need to allocate an additional ?30 million.

“Kini ginagmay-gagmay pero kini siya kinasingkasing g’yud ni nga gibuhat ni Mayor Jonas ug sa kanang kaabag niya kay tungod kita g’yud siya nga kanang nanginahanglan g’yud ang welfare sa Mandauehanon nga matabang-tabangan nato silag ginagmay pero kinasinglasing g’yud ni siya,” she said.

She reiterated that the increase of the financial assistance is done without politicking.

“Dili dili g’yud na pamolitika, kay si Mayor Jonas, makita g’yud nimo nga siya naglihok g’yud siya para sa mga Mandauehanon. Amo siyang giubanan ana, amo siyang gikuyogan kay tungod nakita g’yud namo, dili nganong maghuwat man ta og election no, dili g’yud kay if you see Mandaue karon, nga naa g’yud tay mga gipanghatag nga mga projects, mga ginagmay-gagmay, livelihood para sa katong mga gagmay nga coop, even for drug surrenderees naa tay project para nila. Wala tay gipili unya kanunay g’yud na siya. So, dili lang ta ingon nga pamolitika kay election ingon ana, dili. Kanunay naa tay gihatag nga mga projects ug mga assistance para sa matag Mandauehanon,” she further said.

Meanwhile, in Cordova town, a total of 2,092 senior citizens received ?6,000 each or ?1,000 per month from the national government which is good for six months.

While the 2,285 senior citizens received ?3,000 each from the local government unit of Cordova, which is good for six months or ?500 per month.

Mayor Cesar Suan said senior citizens will get aid from the national government regardless of their economic status. But he said that senior citizens receiving financial assistance from the national government will no longer receive financial assistance from the LGU.

“Para fair pud ba. Aron ma apud-apud g’yud ang resources ug makatagamtam g’yud ang tanang senior citizens sa maong ayuda,” the mayor added. — (FREEMAN)