The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) will convene barangay association officials on Friday to discuss a proposal to make the elderly donate a portion of the cash aid due them to help fund the construction of a new Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) building.
Peter Cuizon, OSCA executive director, said they have to consult with association officials and get feedback from them on whether or not they should pursue the planned donation.
“Voluntary ra man ning amo (This is voluntary). We are willing to listen to their sentiments. Ug dili sila, dili man sad ta mamugos (If they refuse, we won’t force it),” Cuizon said.
OSCA earlier drafted a manifesto which they circulated to the barangay-based elderly associations.
The manifesto mentioned the need to donate P100 million from this year’s P720 million allocation for senior citizen’s assistance to the CCMC construction project.
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In order to raise P100 million, the city’s 60,000 registered senior citizens will have to donate P1,700 from their P12,000 cash aid due them this year.
Elderly residents of barangays Banilad and Capitol Site rejected the proposed donation.
About 570 senior citizens signed a countermanifesto opposing the OSCA plan. Copies of the countermanifesto were sent to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and the City Council.
The City Council referred the manifesto to the social services committee for review. Osca’s Cuizon said they have not received a copy of the manifesto.
So far, only two barangay elderly associations submitted their manifestos to the Osca.