Workers in-charge of seniors’ cash aid distribution underwent rapid antibody test – Labella

Employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) were deployed to Barangay Punta Princesa on  Saturday morning, May 16, 2020, to distribute the P3, 000 cash aid to senior citizens. | Gerard Vincent Francisco

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City government made sure that government personnel who are tasked to distribute seniors’ cash aid are free of the dreaded coronavirus disease 2019.

In a Facebook post this morning, May 16, 2020, Mayor Edgardo Labella said that these City Hall employees were made to undergo rapid antibody tests prior to their deployment.

“Ang tanan disbursing officers gipaubos sa rapid antibody test aron pagsiguro sa kaluwasan sa atong lolo ug lola gikan sa COVID-19,” he said.

(All the disbursing officers were made to undergo rapid antibody test to ensure the safety of our lolos and lolas from COVID-19.)

Seniors who are aged 60-years-old and up have weak immune systems and have been found to be vulnerable to the infection.

A total of 82,000 senior citizens in Cebu City are expected to receive P3,000 cash from City Hall.  This represents their cash aid for the months of March, April, and May at P1, 000 per month.

Read: Senior Citizens’ financial assistance distribution planned on second week of May

Distribution was done house to house to avoid overcrowding and putting seniors’ health at risk.

Labella is asking for seniors understanding if they experience delays in the receipt of their cash aid.

Because of their number, the distribution process may take at least a week to complete, he said.

The distribution of seniors’ cash aid had been postponed several times because of the threat of infection in Cebu City.

As of Friday, May 15, 2020, the City Health Department logged 1,702 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 14 deaths and 76 recoveries. / dcb