Retired judge Benigno Villarente Jr. yesterday collected his share of P2,000 cash assistance from Cebu City Hall.
The 70-year-old resident of Lahug said he plans to use this to buy medicine.
He was among 2,200 seniors who visited the Lahug gym where the cash aid for senior citizens was distributed.
Villarente, a former trial court judge in Dumaguete City, said he appreciates the help from the government while he awaits the release of his pension this year.
The Cebu city government has so far released P3,000 of the P12,000 annual allocation for senior citizens this year.
The first release of P1,000 was made on January 28 together with a P2,000 balance from last year’s assistance.
Villarente said the cash assistance should not be released monthly otherwise “wala na lay buhaton ang mga taga City Hall kung ingon ana (City Hall will be busy doing nothing but distributing the aid.)
“We should also consider the efforts of City Hall. In fact, I criticize those who want the assistance to be given monthly. It’s inconsiderate,” he said.
Domingo Chavez, head of the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), said unclaimed assistance will be distributed at City Hall from April 27 to May 15.
The city has 55,000 registered senior citizens.
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