HUNDREDS of senior citizens waited patiently at the Mabolo Elementary School Sports Center for their P4,000 cash assistance from the Cebu City government at noon yesterday.
When a beneficiary’s turn came, he’ll be asked to present his City Hall-issued senior citizen’s ID and his name is matched against a list prepared by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA). He then gets his cash and an envelope where he can keep his crisp bills.
On closer scrutiny, the envelopes bear Mayor Michael Rama’s picture on the right with his Christmas message running across — something that would make an anti-epal activist’s blood boil.
But some of the seniors interviewed by Cebu Daily News don’t mind. In fact, they were even glad to see Rama’s beaming profile.
“It’s noisy here. We lined up as early as 8 a.m and yet those who came first were deferred while those late were prioritized,” she said.
Basadre, who brought biscuits in anticipation of the long line, received her cash gift at 12 noon.
Gaspar and Belina Carulasan, who are both 80 years old, thanked the mayor for their cash assistance given ahead of Christmas. “We hope the people would support him,” said the couple, who reside in Gil Tudtud Street, barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
There are 70,000 senior citizens in Cebu City registered in the Office for the Senior Citizens’ Affairs (OSCA). Of that number, about 54,848 qualify for the annual P7,000 assistance.
Last June and August, the city government released P3,000 to each senior citizen without the envelope bearing the mayor’s image.
Last year, Rama said he would order the printing of another batch of envelopes bearing only the official seal of the city government with the words “Mayor’s Office and the City Council—together we can make things happen.”
Self promotion
He said he wanted to remove his image to avoid accusations of self-promotion leveled at him by his rival, former mayor and Rep. Tomas Osmeña of Cebu City’s south district.
“That (reprinting) doesn’t mean an admission of guilt like what the congressman is saying,” Rama was quoted as saying in last year’s interview with Cebu Daily News.
At least one senior, 87-year-old Benigna Yares of S. Borgonia St. in Mabolo, said she doesn’t mind Rama’s image on the envelope. Like most seniors, Yares said her P4,000 will go to buying medicines.
“Depends on whether there will be some left to buy other things but I will first buy medicines with the P4,000,” Yares said. Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao