Donation for CCMC is ‘not compulsory’

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs has clarified that the donation they want to pursue for the construction of a new Cebu City Medical Center building is voluntary only.

This, after some elderly complained that they are being required to give a portion of the P12,000 they are supposed to get from the city government as donation for the new hospital structure.

OSCA Head Rolando Llaguno, however, said what they proposed is that the senior citizens would voluntarily give P2,000 of their annual cash assistance this year for the hospital since they, too, would benefit once it is finished.

Cebu City’s registered senior citizens have so far received P7,000 of the P12,000, with the remaining P5,000 to be given either cash or in kind or a combination of both.

Llaguno claimed that OSCA has already conducted many consultative meetings on the proposal during a general assembly and that they got affirmative feedbacks from members.

“This (donating P2,000) is to illustrate our full support for the funding of the construction of the new hospital kay maka-benefit man tang tanan ana, gusto pod mi nga mapadali pod og human ang construction kay kinahanglan na nato,” he said.

Llaguno said a manifesto that the elderly were asked to sign simply implies they volunteered to give a portion of their cash assistance for CCMC.

“With this (donation), we are not only helping the city government but also ourselves,” he said.

He said the manifesto is being passed around and that signing would possible be finished by this week.

“Kon pila ra ang maka-sign sa manifesto, mao ra pod atong i-donate,” he said.

He said it is the moral responsibility of all people, including the senior citizens, to contribute to the construction of the hospital.

“It might be big, ang P2,000, for some, but karon ra man ni nga year ta mohatag and the financial assistance from the city government is for a lifetime hangtod naa pa ang ordinansa,” he said, adding that what they receive from the city government is just a privilege.

After collating the names, OSCA would come up with a proposal then the executive department would forward it to the City Council for approval of the realignment of a portion of the amount allocated for senior citizen’s as financial aid as donation for the hospital building.

If this gets approved, it would be the second time that OSCA donated for the construction of the hospital.

Llaguno said that six months ago, OSCA donated at least P347,000 for the CCMC.

“Gusto lang gyod namo nga mapaspasan gyod atong hospital kay kinahanglan man ni nato,” he said.

However, Nick Ampatin of Barangay Tisa said that while he himself is not that needy of the assistance so as not to donate, there are indigent senior citizens who do.

“Kuwang kaayo og pasabot ang kining donations kay naa nay repetition kay naa naman toy donation campaign sa una,” he said, referring to the donation Llaguno mentioned six months ago.

Aida Ariño Epanto, 78 years old, of Barangay Ermita, said that she will not donate her P2,000 because she has already intended the remaining P5,000 for some other important expenses.  (FREEMAN)