Seniors’ Cash Distribution Postponed

The distribution of financial assistance to senior citizens could not be done this month according to the Cebu City Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) but assured that the beneficiaries will receive their remaining P6,000 before the year ends.

OSCA Chief Rolando “Dodong” Llaguno made this clarification after receiving a number of queries from senior citizens, especially those who need to buy medicines for their maintenance.

Each of the close to 60,000 senior citizens in Cebu City is entitled to receive P10,000 cash assistance from the City Government and almost all of them already received P4,000 that released last March 25 and 26.

This year’s budget for senior citizens’ cash assistance is P600 million.

It was earlier reported that the next release of the senior citizens’ aid will be in July.

This is the reason that a number of them are asking if they will receive their financial aid this month.

Llaguno explained he is still waiting for the go signal from Mayor Rama while they are also considering the availability of funds.

But he said that the assistance of P3,000 will soon be released and the final distribution of the remaining P3,000 will be in December.

The 12th City Council earlier approved an ordinance mandating that the release of cash assistance to the senior citizens shall be made on a monthly basis, but it was not implemented by Rama.

He said the distribution of cash assistance to the senior citizens shall be made if the city has the available funds.

OSCA is again accepting applications for cash assistance and Llaguno said his personnel are now very careful in verifying the supporting documents because some senior citizens who are not Cebu City residents also want to avail of the cash assistance from Cebu City.

The applicants for cash assistance must be 60 years old and above at the time of the filing of the application, must be a registered senior citizen in Cebu City and must be a voter of the city as of 2010.

Llaguno explained that in the case of bedridden senior citizens who failed to apply for financial assistance before and has no voter’s certification, a proof of his permanent residency of the city and physical status must be shown. Only applications for financial assistance of senior citizens who turned 60 years old as of December 31, 2012 shall be included in the processing of financial assistance for this year.