Seniors’ contribution to CCMC project ‘voluntary’
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama entertains the senior citizens who attended the ID card launching and induction of officers of the Senior Citizens Open Organization Toward Effective Reform (Scooter) at the Mariners Court. (CDN Photo/Lito Tecson)
CEBU City Hall’s Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) clarified that their campaign to donate to the reconstruction of the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) is voluntary.
OSCA head Rolando Llaguno said the manifesto circulating among senior citizens chapters in the city still have to be reviewed before it can push through.
“For several times, we have called general assembly meetings with all chapter presidents telling them about the plan to donate part of the cash assistance for senior citizens for CCMC. And they are very supportive,” Llaguno said.
When reports of the manifest came out last week, Llaguno couldn’t be reached for comment.
Llaguno confirmed yesterday that they distributed copies of the manifesto among the city’s seniors.
Llaguno was present during the launching of the new Cebu City ID System and the induction and oath taking ceremony of the Senior Citizens Open Organization Towards Effective Reform (Scooter) which is under the OSCA.
The manifesto asks for each senior citizen’s signature to signify his or her support to a plan that will realign P100 million from the approved P720 million budget for senior citizens cash assistance this year for the reconstruction of a new CCMC.
This would mean that P2,000 from the supposed P12,000 assistance for each of the city’s 60,000 seniors this year would be donated to the project.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama earlier admitted that the P2,000 deduction is too big for the seniors.
But Llaguno said P2,000 isn’t a big deduction since the financial aid given by the city is for a lifetime so long as the ordinance is in effect.
“It’s just a little portion of the privilege granted by the city government. Nevertheless, this is purely voluntary, we don’t force them to donate,” he said.
He also pointed out that prior to the idea of a manifesto, there were already voluntary donations among senior citizens in the city worth P347,000.
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