Talisay seniors to get P500 aid

CEBU, Philippines - At least 3,000 elderly, aged 60 years old and above, will get to enjoy a financial assistance to subsidize their essential needs.

This was announced by Mayor Johnny De los Reyes saying that the senior citizens will get a P500 cash assistance on December 29, which will be distributed at the Tabunok Sports Complex.

"We will make sure that our senior citizens will enjoy these benefits bisan tag-P500 lang ni," he added.

If the city government will have bigger savings next year, the mayor said he plans to increase the financial assistance to the senior citizens.

Meanwhile, the Council Committee on Budget and Appropriations is still reviewing the proposal of City Councilors Socrates Fernandez and Danilo Caballero suggesting that the city government should recognize and give awards to senior citizens living in the city who have already reached the age of 100 or more.

If the ordinance will be approved, it will be known as an ordinance "conferring the centenary senior citizens award to qualified senior citizens in the City of Talisay every October of the year."

"As this special and extraordinary group of elderly Talisaynon represents the history and legacy of the city, it is fitting and appropriate to recognize and honor them with the Centenary Senior Citizens Award," the ordinance said.

Based on the 2010 estimate of the National Statistics Office, there are 8,000 Filipino centenarians nationwide or about nine Filipino centenarians in every 100,000 people.

Fernandez said while most of the senior citizens in the city are enjoying the city's disbursement of cash gifts, there is a rare number of senior citizens who have reached the "triple-digit" age.

Under the ordinance, the qualified centenary senior citizen must show any legal documents such as birth certificate or baptismal showing that he has lived for at least a century.

A certification from the barangay captain must be issued as proof of residence, along with a brief story on the life of the centenary senior citizen whom recognition and honor is to be conferred.

The ordinance provides benefits and privileges to all Filipino residents of Talisay City who reach the age of 100, such as cash reward of P50,000  or  P100,000 from the city on their 100th birthday.

The local government of Talisay City took inspiration from Cebu City in giving incentive allowance or financial assistance to senior citizens. Cebu City started the program in 2009 during the term of then mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Back then, those who qualified for the cash aid had to be registered voters of the city who voted during the 2007 and 2010 elections.