Many elders yet to claim CH aid

CEBU, Philippines - A total of 2,750 senior citizens failed to collect their yearly incentives from the Cebu City government, a City Hall department head announced yesterday.

Catherine Yso, head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS), said those city elders who failed to collect their financial assistance during the first part of 2011 could still claim it.

But she said those who failed to get their incentives distributed last December could no longer claim their assistance.

The unclaimed incentives amounted to P11 million

Yso said about P5 million of financial assistance for senior citizens remained unclaimed during the second part of 2011 while another P6 million is still unclaimed in the first part of last year.

According to Yso, the City Council passed an ordinance that financial assistance for senior citizens distributed in December last year could no longer be given if unclaimed after 10 days from the date of distribution.

“Kadtong wala makakuha sa 2009 ug 2010 dihang wala pa maaprobahi ang ordinansa mahimo gihapon nila nga makuha (Those who did not receive the 2009 and 2010 incentives when the ordinance has not yet passed can still get the assistance),” Yso explained.

The city had allocated P4,000 financial assistance to each of the senior citizens as their birthday and Christmas gifts, but Mayor Michael increased the amount to P5,000 last year.

Yso said the City had allocated P224.1 million as financial assistance to the 44,835 senior citizens that it accredited, but many of them failed to claim their incentives.

The DSWS chief explained that the city will not allow any representatives of the senior citizens to claim their incentives, unless there is a proof that a concerned beneficiary cannot appear.

Aside from the senior citizens, Yso said the city had also granted P2,000 cash incentives to each of the 7,677 persons with disabilities.

Meanwhile, Rama yesterday led the distribution of the remaining amount of the additional honorarium to barangay officials in the city.

Each barangay captain was given P40,000 while every councilman received P24,000 representing the honorariums for eight months.

The barangay officials received last December their honorariums for the months of September, October, November and December. – (FREEMAN)