Some seniors ok with donating part of aid for CCMC construction

CEBU, Philippines - An estimated 500 senior citizens have signed the manifesto consenting to donate P2,000 of their P12,000 cash aid this year for the construction of the Cebu City Medical Center.

 Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs head Rolando Llaguno said signature campaign for the proposal is still ongoing until the end of this year.

Yesterday, The FREEMAN saw a senior citizen named Virgilio Tabasa personally come to OSCA to tell his support for the said proposal.

“Nianhi gyud ko og tuyo (in the office of OSCA) aron paghatod ug pagpadayag sa akong tuyo sa pagtabang sa pagtukod sa atong Cebu City Medical Center nga dili kay kaayohan lang sa usa kundi kaayohan natong tanang katawhan,” Tabasa said.

In fact, he not just donated P2,000 but the entire P5,000 left for this year’s cash aid. Of the total P12,000 cash aid for each senior citizen, P7,000 was already given to them by the city government.

“(I would donate) the whole P5,000 kay ang remaining P5,000 na man lang kay ang P7,000 nahatag naman. I am willing to voluntarily donate the whole P5,000 kay nakita man nako nga tabangonon ang pagpatindog sa CCMC. Dili man na sa kaayuhan nato karon ang atong gitan-aw,  ang kaayuhan man sa ugma sa atong katawhan,” Tabasa said.

However, he said that was just his personal decision. He clarified that it was not his intention to influence other seniors since he believes that they have also their own stand on the matter.

“Dili lang ko mo-touch sa uban kay wala man ko kahibaw unsa ilang baruganan. Personal ni nako (decision).  Sila na lang mohukom kon padong ba ni sa kaayohan,” he added.

Based on earlier report, Adelina Barbosa, cluster president of the senior citizens in Barangay Parian, said members of their association in their barangay do not agree with the proposal.

“Dili mi mo-agree. Nganong kuhaan man nga mao na man na. Ang ingon sa mga members kon kuhaan, unsa naman lang ilang ipalit og tambal,” she said earlier.

Ines Sumampong, a senior citizen of Barangay San Roque, said she is willing to donate but only P1,500 of the P12,000 total cash aid.

Llaguno reiterated that this is not compulsory and only those who are willing to donate could support this move.

According to him, any amount will do but he is encouraging them to donate at least P2,000.

“Depende nila pero we are asking their generosity nga og mahimo para sa Cebu City Medical Center (they can donate P2,000),” he said.

He said earlier that he is determined to ask their full support on this proposal.

“We have to encourage them. I am determined and I am asking them their full support if only to reconstruct that CCMC. After all, ang kaayohan sa mga Sugboanon mao’y labing mahinungdanon,” he said.

He also emphasized that City Mayor Michael Rama did not give him any mandate to propose this move.

If all the seniors will agree on this suggestion, CCMC will benefit P120 million from the senior citizens’ financial assistance.

Based on the “Manifesto of Support for the Construction of the New Cebu City Medical Center,” of the total P720 million financial assistance for the 60,000 seniors, P100 million will hopefully be donated to CCMC.

CCMC was demolished after it was declared unsafe when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Visayas October last year.

The proposed new CCMC costs more or less P1.5 billion pesos and will house a geriatric section.    (FREEMAN)