Senior citizen cash aid distribution to start on May 16

Senior citizens in one of the barangays of Cebu City receive their cash assistance from the city government in this September 2019 photo. | CDN Digital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The distribution of the senior citizen financial assistance in Cebu City would finally begin on Saturday, May 16, 2020 after a three-month delay.

According to Cebu City Legal Officer Rey Gealon, Mayor Edgardo Labella’s spokesperson, the financial assistance will be distributed house to house as a standard procedure, while some tight areas may be distributed per sitio.

The protocol for the distribution would involve the senior citizen receiving an envelop containing three-months worth of financial assistance of P3,000.

Then instead of signing a voucher as proof of receipt, a photo will be taken of the senior citizen as proof that he or she has received the money.

The Commission on Audit (COA) has already approved of this unique way of receipt as a preventive measure in the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“This is to avoid contact between you, the senior citizens, and the disbursers,” said Gealon.

He also assured that disbursers had been undertaking tests for the virus to ensure that they would not be positive of the virus and would not risk bringing the virus to the households.

Gealon said that if any of the disbursers would prove positive to the tests, they would be replaced by another.

The city government encouraged the senior citizens to be patient because the distribution might take time  with over 80,000 beneficiaries in the city. /dbs