2nd round of cash aid distributed to elders

CEBU, Philippines - Aside from a few glitches, the distribution of the P2,000 cash assistance to senior citizens in Cebu City barangays went smoothly yesterday.

Many senior citizens were thankful for the cash aid but several still said the amount isn’t enough.

“Dili  man  ni  kaigo ipalit og tambal. Unya di ba ang saad ni Mayor kay P6,000 cash man?” said a female senior citizen in Barangay Tinago.

In Barangay Guadalupe, the largest barangay in the city with the most number of registered senior citizens, some of the elderly who spoke with The FREEMAN said they are satisfied of what they were given.

“Gamay ra tuod ang P2,000 pero maayo na lang ni oy kaysa wala. Ingna si Mayor Rama nga daghang salamat sa iyang tabang,” said 70-year-old Fe Ebisa. She and her husband Roberto, 72, were among the last few who claimed their share at the Guadalupe sports complex yesterday afternoon.

Fe said they would have claimed the aid earlier but they had to rush Roberto to the hospital due to high blood pressure. They were on their way to the gym when Roberto’s pressure rose because of the extreme heat. She said they will use the money to buy medicine.

“Tiguwang na man lagi ‘ta, daghan nang gipamati sa lawas. Daghang tambal kinahanglan i-maintain,” she added.

Soledad Datun, 71, who claimed her share on wheel chair, said the money came right in time.

“Ako ning ibayad sa akong utang. Nakabaylo man ko og kwarta para palit sa akong tambal,” Datun told The FREEMAN in a very weak voice. She is suffering from asthma and had to be accompanied by her daughter yesterday.

At least 4,181 senior citizens are registered in Barangay Guadalupe alone.

For the second time, Guadalupe arranged 42 tables with tellers assigned for 100 senior citizens only. The system was intended to fast track the distribution.

A brief tension flared up in the barangay when some of senior citizens complained of failing to get their share allegedly because they were only able to show photocopies of their identification cards.

“Kasagaran ang mga datu mao’y mangreklamo. Duna’y usa gikuha pa akong ngan ug gi-picture-an ko kay nasuko nga wala g’yud nako gihatag ang kwarta kay photocopy ra iyang napakita. Naa daw siya’y original ID pero tua sa balay. Nganong lisud-lisuron daw sila nga senior lagi,” teller Marjorie Medalle said.

Medalle said she stood by her decision for fairness’ sake. “Maski unsa pa ilang ranggo, kung dili g’yud original nga ID ilang mapakita, di gyud mi muhatag, abi kay datu sila. Sabton pud unta nila nga trabaho lang ning amo,” she pointed out.

Engineer Rolando Ardosa, chief of the Department of Public Services (DPA) assigned to supervise in Guadalupe, said the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) provided guidelines in distributing the financial assistance, which they have to follow.

“Nahitabo na man gud ‘na sauna nga naay nagpakita og photocopy gitagaan namo, unya naay laing niabot nakapakita og original ID. So lisod masipyat kay kami pu’y makatapal,” Ardosa explained.

Another female senior argued with the tellers when they refused to give her the money as her name on the OSCA list is different from that in her ID.

“They spelled my name incorrectly. It’s their fault, not mine,” said Portia Hormachuelos.

Ardosa’s point person, John Paul Gelasque, said they gave way and eventually gave the cash aid since the error was only clerical.

There are around 60,000 senior citizens in the city qualified to get the cash aid.

In an earlier report, Mayor Michael Rama promised to give P12,000 assistance this year, half of which would be given in cash while the other half would be given in kind. The city has already given P1,000 to the seniors in advance last February as a form of Valentine’s gift.

Rama said he will instruct OSCA to consult with the seniors to address the complaints.

“I have given that job to OSCA. I wish they will get to the bottom. Sometimes ang storya lagi na gusto gyud sila og cash, then mangita na sad og tambal. Liboga sad ana oy, so ato nang tan-awon,” Rama said. —/JMO (FREEMAN)