Council eyes P15T cash aid for seniors

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City Council is eyeing to give additional P3,000 in the annual cash assistance to qualified senior citizens but the proposal is opposed by Mayor Michael Rama.

The council through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Sisinio Andales asked the city treasurer and the budget officer to study the possibility of increasing the annual cash assistance to P15,000. Qualified senior citizens are receiving a total of P12,000 annually, which is given on a staggered basis. 

"...to request the Cebu City Treasurer's Office and the Cebu City Budget Office to study and make recommendations, as soon as possible, on the possibility of increasing the financial assistance from P12,000 to P15,000 annually for qualified senior citizens in the city," the resolution read.

Andales backed his proposal with Section 458 of the Local Government Code which states that the City Council shall "approve resolutions which shall ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the basic services... Provide for the care of the aged."

The city government is allocating at least P720 million every year for the 60,000 qualified beneficiaries.

"Let them enjoy on their twilight stages in life. Let us care and love them," said Andales, who is a senior citizen himself.

As the elderly individuals have been asking for the increase, he stressed the need to increase the annual cash assistance "to at least alleviate the growing needs of each senior citizen in Cebu City."

"Senior citizens benefited much from the financial assistance, however, there are some necessary expenses which a senior citizen ought to avail or have for their health and comfort," he said.

Andales explained that the P1,000 per month from the P12,000 annual aid is "small for the needs of the senior citizens" while the prime commodities in the city kept on increasing.

Further, he said the city government can possibly support the increase since it has already "huge money" from the proceeds of the sale of the South Road Property lots.

Rama described Andales' move to be politically motivated. The mayor challenged the proponent to instead open the deliberation of the Supplemental Budget 1.

 "Ayaw nalang ta, maybe he's losing votes from the seniors that's why he's proposing that. He wants to have something in return," said Rama.

"I already made a position on that matter. It's politics. Why don't they tackle first the SB-1.  There's another responsibility and they keep on insisting that. That, it's been clear that they are being political. I-discuss sa na nila ang SB-1 uy kaysa seniors kay sige man ta og hatag," he added. —/FPL (FREEMAN)