The city's cash gift to senior citizens
Before anything else, here is a Lenten Season prayer that I like to share: “To those I have wronged, I ask for forgiveness; to those I have helped, I wish I did more; to those I neglected, I ask for understanding and to those who helped me, I sincerely thank you so very muchâ€.
Last Monday, I, along with the other senior citizens in our midst, received a cash gift from the City of Cebu. It was a huge amount to acknowledge and thank the city for, but it was the system of distribution, which the city under the Honorable Mayor Michael L. Rama, adopted that ought to be applauded.
To be sure, the distribution was not without initial hitches. Early in the morning of that day, I observed a long line of senior citizens. The simmering heat of the sun that started to wreck havoc on the frail bodies of old people lining up, coaxed me into thinking that the city was mired in a helpless method - enough reason for me to skip the assembly.
Then, by past mid morning, the phone rang. Barangay Kasambagan Kagawad George Chang was on the line. He asked me and my lady to come and claim our gift. When I asked him what had happened to the long line I observed earlier, he had a story to tell.
Apparently, Honorable Barangay Councilman Danilo Heramis was at the venue also early. Allegedly claiming that he had the authority of Barangay Captain Jun Lim, he asked the senior citizens to go the process (yes, the old and discredited one) of their having to line up outside of the covered court and while exposed to the summer sun have their names listed. That was what I saw.
It appeared that the city hall had a different way. Kagawad Chang then called up Atty. Jomar Poblete, the city administrator and a resident of our Barangay Kasambagan, to inquire what could be done to help the old folks. Atty. Poblete rushed to the venue and, using available public address system, announced that the city hall was using a better method. He urged everyone to proceed immediately to different tables that were manned by competent personnel. The names of the senior citizens in our barangay were assigned tables. And lo and behold, everybody was served with dispatch while Kagawad Heramis disappeared. And it was then that Kagawad Chang called us up.
I caught up with Atty. Poblete. In our brief discussion, he assured me that the city was continuing to improve the system to make it easy for the senior citizens. While he did not give weight to Kagawad Chang's suspicion that Hon. Heramis was out to sabotage the distribution, what the latter kagawad did caused some confusion.
I took the chance to relay to Atty. Poblete a concern that was sent to me by a reader in response to a column I wrote on the issue.
There are citizens who, in their prime years, gave their best in the service of their hometowns, which are, actually, communities other than Cebu City. Some of them, while young, worked honestly and diligently in those other local government units. Still others earned their spurs practicing their chosen professions thereat. In the annals of these communities is recognized the fact that the contribution they gave to their localities until they retired made tremendous impact.
Yet, these places may not be so prosperous that their financial capabilities are limited. They are without the kind of resources Cebu City has such that they could not give their senior citizens the cash gift our city is providing.
Upon hearing that we have a very generous city, these senior citizens from distant places have decided to come and settle among us. With such an easy requirement of being registered voters here, they have joined the ranks of senior citizens enjoying the city's cash gift. It seems that there are thousands in this category.
Without sounding greedy, my letter writer, early on, wanted a profound policy determination on this situation. To him, the ordinance allocating cash gifts has to be revisited with the words written in the envelopes containing the cash gifts serving as the guiding principle. He was alarmed that the city, with its pronounced benevolence would, in the end, devote a large part of its financial capability to gift out-of-towners than its own local flock.
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