Seniors’ cash aid luring elderly out of Minglanilla

Senior citizens are migrating from  Minglanilla town to live in Cebu City in order to qualify for the cash aid given by  the city government to its elderly residents, the president of Provincial Federation of Senior Citizens said yesterday.

“We have to understand their (seniors) situation. They really need financial assistance and the P7,000 aid the (Cebu) city government is extending is big enough for their sustenance,” federation president Lorenzo Moscoso said.

Moscoso said there is no counterpart program in the province. He said most of these seniors are former residents of Cebu City who transferred to Minglanilla town after buying property there.

“When they reached the age of 60, they became active members of the municipal federation for seniors. But when the (Cebu) city government started giving out assistance, they had a change of heart and moved back,” Moscoso said.

Moscoso said there is nothing illegal with what they’re doing.  “If they can prove their residence and being a registered voter in Cebu City, nothing will prevent them from receiving any amount given by the city government,” he said.

Cebu Provincial Board (PB) Member Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, chairman of the committee on senior citizens and public services, said last year that he will lobby for an ordinance that will provide benefits to seniors in the province.

An ordinance is being studied to provide year-end benefits for senior citizens in the province.

The PB approved a lump sum amount of P200,000 for the provincial federation that will be used for various purposes. Moscoso said the ordinance creating a financial assistance program similar to Cebu City’s will require local government units (LGUs) in the province to provide their counterpart funds.

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