THREE months after being confined to a hospital for hypertension, Maritess Carreon managed to receive the P10,000 cash aid to public school teachers yesterday.
“My return to service was made better because we received our financial assistance from the city. It’s really a blessing for me. At least, I now have extra budget for my take home medicines,” said the 52-year-old Carreon.
Carreon, a Grade 6 teacher in Banilad Elementary School, took a three-month leave to be hospitalized for hypertension. She had been working as a public school teacher for 27 years now.
Raddy Diola, head of City Hall’s Local School Board (LSB), said there are 5,300 teachers, supervisors and principals from 140 public elementary and high schools in Cebu City.
The city government allocated P55 million for the teachers’ financial assistance this year.
“They deserve to receive something at the end of the year especially since during December, spending is more than usual,” Diola said. The distribution was done at Cebu City Hall yesterday.
The teaching staff from schools in the south district received their assistance in the morning while the teaching staff from north district schools received theirs in the afternoon.
Tomorrow will be the turn of senior citizens to receive their remaining P3,000 financial assistance in their respective barangays.
But unlike previous tranches, the distribution of assistance in the barangays is extended until 3 p.m. so every senior citizen can claim.
“We decided to extend the distribution since they can only claim their assistance until December 23. By then City Hall will be closing their books,” said City Administrator Lucelle Mercado.
Those who failed to claim their financial assistance can do so at the Plaza Sugbo Grounds on Wednesday.
Starting Thursday until the 23rd, they can claim their assistance already at the City Treasurer’s Office.
City Hall used to give 15 days after the scheduled distribution for elderly residents to claim their assistance. But since it’s the end of the year already, they can only claim until the 23rd.
On Thursday, December 17, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) will receive their remaining P1,000 financial assistance from the city government.
The barangay officials will get their incentives from the city government next Monday, December 21.