Online list mulled

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña suggested uploading on the Internet the names of the beneficiaries in the senior citizens program to spare the elders from the hassles of going to the City Hall to verify if their names are on the list of qualified beneficiaries.

Osmeña said that by uploading the list, the seniors can browse through the net and check whether they are qualified or not. The process is much easier for the beneficiaries especially those who are having health problems already.

The plan is to complement her husband’s promise to release the assistance through the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) once he gets elected as mayor in the May 13 elections.

South District Rep. Tomas Osmeña said he will work to release the assistance through the ATM so that the senior citizens will no longer have to endure hassles lining up at the City Hall or in their respective barangay to collect the money.

Councilor Osmeña, who chairs the committee on finance, also assured the senior citizens to do something about the present policy implemented by the city government.

The senior citizens are complaining why uncollected financial assistance will be forfeited if not claimed within one month. They want to allow them to collect even after one month since its release.

The record shows that there are about 2,500 beneficiaries who failed to claim the second installment amounting to P4,000 each last December.

The city government forfeited almost P10 million benefits because the beneficiaries failed to claim it within the specified period.  (FREEMAN)