Only few seniors giving to CCMC

CEBU, Philippines -  Of the 80 barangays in Cebu City, only majority of the senior citizens from the five barangays have signed and passed the manifesto consenting to donate part of their cash aid to the reconstruction of the new Cebu City Medical Center.

Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) head Rolando Llaguno said these five barangays are Duljo-Fatima, San Jose, Guadalupe, Adlaon and Sapangdaku.

Duljo-Fatima has 1,253 registered senior citizens; San Jose, 281; Guadalupe, 4,112; Adlaon, 283 and Sapangdaku, 351.

However, he said his office is still hoping and waiting for more signatures until next month.

 "Dili pa kaayo daghan…og wala ron, next (few) weeks, ma-collect nana tanan. Because I would have that collected…akong plano is only up to December," he said.

Llaguno's term as OSCA head will end next month.

 After the signing of the manifesto, OSCA will forward the documents to the City Council for the councilors' approval considering that there is an ordinance mandating the giving of financial aid to the seniors.

Llaguno earlier proposed that each of the seniors donate P2,000 from the total amount of their cash aid.

The senior citizens are set to receive P12,000 this year. Of the total amount they have already received P7,000.

Based on the "Manifesto of Support for the Construction of the New Cebu City Medical Center," of the total P720 million financial assistance for the P60,000 seniors, P100 million will hopefully be donated to CCMC.

A few weeks ago, 570 seniors in Barangay Capitol signed a manifesto notifying the city government that they are against the proposal.

"We have heard that the amount of P2,000 will be lessen (sic), due to some reasons, as we've known that our share will be lessen (sic) for the benefit of the CCMC donation from the Senior Citizens December Christmas Financial Assistance Funds," their manifesto read.

"We are simply glad for this help, although it was just that amount but we heartily receive it granting it will still help us sustain our daily maintenance," the manifesto further read.

However, Llaguno said that in the said barangay not all are against because according to him there are more than 1,400 registered seniors in the place.

"Didto sa Capitol (Site) nipirma sa against 570, but there are more than 1,400 registered seniors sa Capitol (Site) so dili pud tanan," he defended.

 However, the official OSCA website lists the numbers of registered seniors in Capitol Site as only 1,068.

Llaguno reiterated that this is not compulsory and only those who are willing to donate should support this move. He said any amount will do but he is encouraging them to donate P2,000.

He clarified that only those senior citizens who would sign the manifesto can have part of their cash aid donated to the new CCMC's construction.

 Llaguno also admitted that he has heard criticisms but despite those he still pursuing this move.

"I will stand by the advocacy pagpabarug og balik nianang Cebu City Medical Center. Kun ako ng atum-atuman unsa man akong makuha? And I know what I'm doing and you know for a fact nga dili pinugsanay na. Kun dili mo okay ra pud kaayo uy," he said.

He said CCMC is a great help to all the Cebuanos.

 "In the first place ang CCMC gikinahanglan na sa tanang Sugbuanon, whereas ang imong kwarta after being distributed maybe a month or two wala nanang kwartaha. Ug simbako masakit ka where will you go?" he said.

He also emphasized earlier that City Mayor Michael Rama did not give him any mandate to propose this move.

If all the seniors will agree to this suggestion, CCMC will gain P120 million from the senior citizens financial assistance.

CCMC was demolished after it was declared unsafe after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the Visayas October last year.

 The proposed new CCMC, which will have a geriatric ward, costs more or less P1.5 billion.— /BRP (FREEMAN)