PWDs to get P3k today

A signature will determine if Mayor Michael Rama will play Santa or the Grinch to Cebu City’s elderly this Christmas.

A source at City Hall’s Cash Division yesterday told Cebu Daily News that the P300 million payroll  that will include the P5,000 allowance due to each of the city’s qualified senior citizens are now at the Office of the Mayor awaiting Rama’s signature.

Once Rama affixes his signature, the cash allowance due to the elderly would be scheduled for release by next week.

For now, the City Treasurer’s Office is focused on releasing the P3,000 balance of the P5,000 cash assistance due to residents who are physically handicapped (people with disabilities or PWDs).

The PWD allowance is scheduled for distribution starting at 8 a.m. today.

Earlier,  lawyer Reymelio Delute wrote Mayor Michael Rama a letter demanding the mayor to release the P5,000 balance due to the elderly.

The city’s elderly residents get a P12,000 annual allowance from City Hall.

Delute has threatened to file a complaint against Rama if he fails to release the assistance on or before Dec. 31.

“If his (Rama’s) conduct has breached the law or laws, rules and regulations, he exposes himself for possible administrative and criminal actions,” Delute said in a text message to CDN.

A P720 million appropriation is included in the 2014 budget for the release of P12, 000 assistance to the seniors.  The city has so far released P7, 000 to the elders.

Rama said in an earlier interview that its his prerogative to decide when to release the balance of this year’s assistance.
He will be making the proper announcement next week on the next schedule of release, but he hinted that part of the assistance may be released next year yet.

“The city will have to release the balance because its an obligation that the city government will have to attend to,” said councilor Margot Osmena, chairperson of the city’s budget committee.

But Osmena said that cash availability will be a major consideration.