Good news for Cebu City seniors: Financial aid distribution starts Sat

A senior citizen receives financial assistance from a Department of Social Welfare and Development worker. Cebu City’s elders, on the other hand, will get their P3,000 cash gift covering the months of January to March, starting this Saturday, March 12, 2022. | Photo courtesy of DSWD-7

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The distribution for the first tranche of financial assistance to senior citizens for this year will happen on Saturday, March 12, 2022, in all 80 barangays in Cebu City.

Portia Basmayor, the head of the Department of Social Welfare and Services, announced in a press conference held on Friday morning, March 11, 2022, that they will provide help the ensure a smooth distribution of the cash gift.

From January to March this year, the city’s registered senior citizens will get financial assistance amounting to P3,000 or equivalent to P1,000 for each month.

“Ang atoang level sa COVID-19 maayo na man so wala nato gibutang sa house-to-house ang atong distribution kung dili sa gym na nato gipasiugda ang atong activity ugma,” Basmayor said.

Barangay officials have already alerted the senior citizens that P3,000 would be distributed on March 12, 13, and 14 for the first quarter of 2022.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama stated in a separate press conference that senior citizens who have cash cards can use them now.

“Cash card is now functional and operational. Its use is no longer suspended,” Mayor Rama said.

According to Dr. Ester Concha, special assistant to the mayor for Social Services, the cash cards are in the shape of regular ATM cards where senior citizens may obtain their financial gifts.

Concha further stated that the city government has counted 22,105 active registered senior citizens with functional cash cards and 1,287 senior citizens whose cash cards are still being processed, requiring them to receive the cash directly.

“Naa ray 22K na na register and all the rest kinahanglan gyud mu adto sa respective barangays to claim it,” Concha said.

According to Concha, the unclaimed financial aid from October to December last year will continue to be processed while the City Council votes whether to amend the released ordinance.

Concha reminds the seniors who will get financial support to continue to follow the safety and health regulations and to carry their original senior citizen identification cards.  /rcg

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Distribution of senior citizen financial aid in Cebu City begins