Alcoseba bats for free school supplies, cheaper meds

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City councilor-elect Raul Alcoseba is planning to lobby measures that would provide elementary students in public schools free educational supplies and give cheaper medicines and hospitalizations for the residents.

During The FREEMAN’s #CebuVote Conversation yesterday, Alcoseba shared his priority legislations. Alcoseba and the 2019 midterm poll winners will assume office noontime of June 30.

“First, I want to see the elementary public students should have free school supplies. Second is the CCMC (Cebu City Medical Center) cheaper hospitalization and cheaper medicines,” he said, adding that healthcare is among the major concerns of the residents of the city.

He said the distribution of free school supplies would not be costly for the city government as it would only be done once a year.

The recipients are students from grades 1 to 6, he said.

He said he would also push for a legislation that would provide subsidy for the operations of the CCMC to ensure residents would be given quality healthcare.

Moreover, Alcoseba hopes the incoming administration would ensure that all senior citizens would get their financial aid.

Mayor-elect Edgardo Labella is considering of increasing the P12,000 annual cash assistance  for seniors.

Alcoseba said there are still unregistered seniors who have not yet benefited from the city’s program. The city has 75,000 registered seniors.

“Instead of increasing the assistance, why not give all seniors the cash aid? The P12,000 is not bad at all,” he said.

Alcoseba used to serve the city residents as councilor from 2004 and 2013, and later elected as provincial board member in the first district of Cebu.

He said he was among the legislators who crafted the ordinance granting assistance to senior citizens in the city.

He assured that the majority members of the City Council, which are affiliated with Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, will not be obstructionists.

 “In the City Council, majority rules but it doesn’t mean that you will vote against what’s best for the city,” he said, adding that members of the legislative body should also be informed of the platforms of the incoming administration. — KBQ (FREEMAN)