Senior citizens from Ibabao, Mandaue City join the two-kilometer fun walk in the barangay.
(CDN PHOTO/Norman Mendoza)
Despite walking with a slight limp after suffering a stroke several years ago, 73-year-old Carlos Mendoza still enthusiastically joined yesterday’s senior citizen fun walk in barangay Estancia, Mandaue City.
Mendoza was with about 100 senior citizens from the barangay who completed the early morning 2-kilometer fun walk.
“Maayo akong pamati nga nakalakaw ko og layo-layo kauban sa mga ka-edad nako (I feel good having walked a bit far together with people my age),” said Mendoza, who added that he enjoyed the walk.
Jesus Boy Barz, president of Barangay Ibabao-Estancia, Mandaue City Senior Citizens Association claimed that this was the first senior citizen fun walk program organized in Mandaue City.
“Wala man ko kadungog nga dunay mga senior citizen organization nga naghimo ani dinhi sa ato (I’ve never heard of a senior citizen organization doing this here)” said Barz, who is also a councilor of the barangay and the chairman of the barangay’s Kaabag Inc.
He also said the fun walk aims to help senior citizens exercise and foster bonding time among members of the group.
The fun walk was just one of the activities the group has lined up for its members.
Barz said senior citizens will be taught folk dances on weekends so that they can pass on the knowledge to the youth.
The senior citizens in Mandaue City receive P3,000 annually from the city government. An additional P1,000 was added to the allowance recently after a city ordinance for senior citizens was amended.
He said, that aside from receiving cash gifts and enjoying discounts from different establishments and services, they also find other activities they can enjoy and at the same time be able to help in the community and barangay programs.
Barz said the fun walk will be done every month.
He said he had already appointed Dionisio Del Castillo as chairman of the fun walk which is scheduled every 3rd Saturday of the month at 6:30 a.m.
Dioneda Pindol, 78, who joined yesterday’s fun walk, was happy with the activity.
“I’m thankful for programs like this for the seniors as it makes us feel still part of the community activities,” Pindol said in Cebuano.
The barangay’s senior citizens group has nearly 600 members.
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