Cash incentive for elderly to be released before Christmas

CEBU, Philippines - The city government will release before Christmas the P4,000 cash assistance to each of the more than 5,000 senior citizens who are residents and voters in the city but did not receive the benefit last April.

Cathy Yso, head of City Hall’s Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said they will do their best to hasten the processing of required documents so that the money can be released by December 20.

Guillermo “Dodong” Casinillo, Deputy Mayor for Senior Citizens, said the concerned senior citizens were excluded from the list of those who received their benefits last April because their application were only submitted last January, February, March and April this year.

The city has allocated P22.6 million from the 5th supplemental budget for the cash incentives of at least 5,200 senior citizens.

But Casinillo said more elderly persons can be expected to avail of financial assistance once the incentive will be released.

When the city distributed cash incentives to the senior citizens last April, 5,200 of the 32,000 senior citizens did not receive their share.

“Senior citizen” is the term used for those at the age of 60 and above, but the city will only give incentive to those who are registered in Cebu City and who voted in the 2007 elections.

But Casinillo said he has recommended that those who have become residents of Cebu City during the May 2010 national elections and the recent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections be given consideration.

Former mayor and now Cebu City South District Representative Tomas Osmeña earlier expressed apprehension that residents of the province will transfer to Cebu City simply to avail of the benefits. (THE FREEMAN)