Seniors cash aid to be given monthly
The Cebu City Council passed a resolution that sought the release of the cash assistance to Cebu City’s 50,000 registered senior citizens on a monthly basis in yesterday’s session.
The council called for the monthly allocation of cash aid despite last year’s budget ordinance which scheduled the release of the P5,000 cash aid to seniors on June and December.
While not averse to the proposal, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wanted the distribution of senior citizen cash assistance amounting to P10,000 on a quarterly basis starting April this year.
The lone voice of dissent was Councilor Jose Daluz III, a Rama ally, who said this violates the 2012 budget ordinance.
The BO-PK bloc said a montly allocation will address the need of senior citizens to buy maintenance drugs.
Daluz told Cebu Daily News that BO-PK councilors are under pressure because about 37,000 senior citizens signed a petition seeking a more frequent release of their share of financial assistance from the city government.
Daluz said a P300 million appropriation was included in the annual budget for senior citizens assistance.
“We (asked) the mayor to release the assistance (on a monthly basis). Are we asking the mayor to violate the ordinance?” he added.
Councilor Margot Osmeña, one of the authors of the resolution, said releases for January and February can be retroactive especially with the assurance of acting City Treasurer Emma Villarete that there is enough funds for the senior citizen assistance program.
She also said an amendment will be introduced to the 2013 budget ordinance to schedule the release of the cash assistance on a monthly basis instead of twice a year.
Rama said he wanted to consult Villarete on the council’s proposal.
“It’s easy to say but it’s the processing that poses a problem,” he told Cebu Daily News.
