3-year moratorium on Senior Citizen listup proposed

THE Cebu City Senior Citizens Council is proposing a three-year moratorium in the registration of new senior citizens in order to have a clear list.

Ester Concha, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said that to date the city continues to release financial assistance to non-city residents who are registered with the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).

The city government appropriated P600 million this year for the release of P10,000 n financial assistance to 59,285 registered seniors.

Senior citizens in the city have so far received P4,000 of the P10,000 assistance this year. The balance of P6,000 is yet to be released.

Concha said the proposed three-year moratorium was a way to address the problem of aid being released to non-city residents who are registered with OSCA.

The proposal was made before they went on recess to give Rama time to decide if he wants to renew the appointment of council members or replace them as he begins his second term in office.

Senior citizens have to show proof of voters registration in Cebu city and the applicant’s age of 60.

Of the 59, 285 registered senior citizens, a total of 56,516 received their share of financial assistance from the city amounting to a total of P226 million.

Another 2,769 seniors citizens haven’t recieved their allotment from the last two distributions in March 2013 and December 2012.

Concha said council members agreed to recommend the delisting of 2,769 seniors so that the P11 million financial assistance for them will be realigned for other purposes.

Mayor Rama said he wanted the proposed moratorium studied first. He also wanted the seniors assistance increased to P12,000 next year.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, head of the City Council’s social services committee, said the city government should stick to the present P10,000 amount.

Additional assistance, he said, should be given in the form of maintenance medicine or hospitalization assistance.

“Ug kwarta dili ra gihapon na nila magamit tanan kay gastohon ra na sa apo,” he said.

(If we add money, most likely it will just be spent for the grandchildren.)