Rama wants cash aid for seniors released ASAP

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama insists that the cash assistance for seniors worth to P720 million be released before the end of April.

In a presscon held yesterday at the Waterfront Hotel, Mayor Rama emphasized that the distribution of cash assistance should take place as soon as possible. On the other hand, Cebu City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas said they have yet to receive the go signal from the Mayor.

Furthermore, Cuevas said that the Cebu City Treasurers Office has already prepared the budget intended for the cash assistance. “As to when, we’re just waiting for the directive from the mayor, andam naman sad ang budget ana,” Cuevas said.

Senior citizens also hoped for the faster distribution of their cash assistance. “Basin second week [sa May] nila ma-release ang among cash assistance, para makasustento sad mi ginagmay (I hope the cash assistance will be released by the second week of May so we’ll have something for sustenance),” a qualified senior citizen said.

The mayor himself will hand the cash assistance to the qualified seniors during the pursuance of the cash release.

Meanwhile, the approval of the proposed institutionalization of the Office of Senior Citizens can help qualified seniors know more about the programs and benefits that are intended for them.

The ordinance, proposed by Council Member Gerardo Carillo, is entitled “An Ordinance Creating the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) Defining Its Scope, Areas and Functions, Appropriating Funds Thereof and for Other Purposes.

The said ordinance allows senior citizens to be recognized as partners in nation-building whose undertakings, programs, and activities must be supported by the government. It also includes the policy of the present administration which aims to continuously improve the performance and delivery of internal and external services of all offices within the local government units including those involving the concerns and interests of the elders.

OSCA Head Rolando Llaguno said that it is the mayor’s desire to institutionalize OSCA. Moreover, Cuevas said that part of the ordinance is to have a P10-million budget intended for the supplies and facilities for the Office of  Senior Citizens.

The institutionalization of OSCA can do a lot of help, even clarifying programs in line with the Cebu City Government.

“The word institutionalization has always been being a human relation practitioner a part of my advocacy. I always believe that more heads is better than one,” Mayor Rama said. (FREEMAN)