CEBU, Philippines – Around 300 senior citizens in Dumaguete City, aged 77 years old and above, yesterday received P2,000 each in financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7.
The funds came from the Bottoms-up Budgeting (BUB) program of the national government.
City social welfare officer Carola Alquero said this year’s recipients are indigent senior citizens who do not have pensions from the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System and the like, and those who are not receiving the social pension of P500 per month.
A total of P500,000 was appropriated for the cash payout, including the city’s counterpart of P100,000, according to Alquero.
Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria led the distribution of P2,000 cash to each of the 300 recipients.
In an interview, senior citizens federation president George Villamor explained that the 300 senior citizens who were beneficiaries of the BUB funds were separate from the city’s social pensioners numbering about 450 who are receiving a monthly pension of P500 each.
They cannot be included among the social pensioners because the quota for Dumaguete is only 450. However, they will be listed as reserves for replacement in case of death of any of the 450.
Dumaguete City Local Government Operations Officer Farah Gentuya said the BUB is part of the poverty reduction program of the national government where planning and identification of projects start from the grassroots level with participation of non-government organizations, civil society organizations, people organizations, with counterpart funds from the LGU concerned. —/JMD