Mandaue releases P1K aid to seniors

A 73-YEAR-OLD visually impaired man may have struggled to get to the Mandaue City Sports Complex to claim his P1,000 mid-year assistance but he managed to lobby for an increase of the city government’s dole-out to old-timers.

Secundo Largo whose left eye is blind and the remaining eye already clouded by cataract was one of the 1,536 senior citizens from barangays Centro, Mantuyong, Cambaro and Guizo who received their share of assistance from the city government.

But Largo said that the P1,000 is not enough for his daily needs and medicines.

Largo excused himself from an interview with Cebu Daily News when Councilor Emmarie “Lollipop” Ouano passed by, to bring to the lady councilor a request that their P2,000 annual aid be increased.

Ouano obliged and said she will support the measure being proposed by Councilor Demetrio Cortes, Jr. to raise the senior’s citizen aid to P3,000.00.

Largo and his 74-year-old wife Virginia beg to make ends meet as their nine children do not support them.

They now live with friends in Lapu-Lapu City after his home in barangay Centro, Mandaue City, was demolished a few years ago.

The city government of Mandaue this year has allocated P2,000 each to the 13,483 senior citizens registered at the Mandaue City Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs.

Distribution of the cash for senior citizens will continue in the city’s other barangays today.