Senior Receives Cash Assistance from Two Cities

OSCA investigates as to how senior gets assistance from both local governments

The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in Cebu and Mandaue Cities are now investigating on how a female senior citizen was able to register herself and collected cash assistance from both local government units.

Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete has instructed OSCA head Rolando “Dodong” Llaguno to find out whether Virginia Lopez Paconla is really a resident and registered voter of Barangay Busay.

In a related development, the Senior Citizens Council in Mandaue City will also convene today and the case involving Paconla is one of the topics to be discussed by them because she is also receiving cash assistance from the Mandaue City government.

Libeth Maeng of OSCA-Mandaue City said Paconla is an active member of the Senior Citizens Association in Barangay Guizo and she has been issued with ID No. 13092 in 2009 and her name has been listed already to receive cash assistance this coming June.

Paconla, who claimed she was born November 15, 1947 has been issued also with OSCA ID No. 18926 in Cebu City on May 7, 2008 after claiming that she is residing in Barangay Busay.

Records of OSCA-Mandaue City showed that Paconla was able to collect P2,000 assistance from the Mandaue City government last year, but in Cebu City government she also collected P3,000 in August and P4,000 in December of last year.

Paconla also received another P4,000 last March 25 as initial cash assistance from the Cebu City government and her name is still in the list of those who will receive another cash assistance to senior citizens months from now.

Mayor Michael Rama said “Kon iya na nga gihimo nga pagpanikas, gabaan ra siya kay senior citizen na ra ba siya og pagpamentaha man kanang iyang gibuhat.”

City Administrator Poblete had instructed the OSCA head in Cebu City to investigate the case of Paconla and to look for other similar cases. The Cebu City government has allocated P600 million for the senior citizens’ cash assistance this year.

It was reported that Paconla is residing in Sitio Maaslum in Barangay Busay while her brother also work as a member of the barangay’s Lupong Tagapamayapa.

Poblete said once found out that Paconla is really an active member in Mandaue City she will be asked to decide, saying “Pahukmon nato kon asa siya gusto nga magpabiling miembro sa senior citizens pero kadtong kwarta nga nakuha niya mahimong dili na lang tingali paninglon kay basin may panginahanglan ‘sab siya.”

Llaguno earlier said there are several senior citizens from other places in the Visayas and Mindanao who are applying as OSCA member in the city for them to receive the P10,000 cash assistance for this year. There is an assurance that the amount will be raised to P12,000 to each of the senior citizens in 2014.