Rama’s bid for seniors’ vests hit; SB1 meets another delay

Why is the Cebu City government giving vests to over 69,000 senior citizens in the city?

The P24.15-million proposed budget for the vests, which has been included in the proposed Supplemental Budget 1 (SB1) submitted by Mayor Michael Rama, is better spent on other important things that the elderly need, said a nongovernment organization (NGO) official.

During the full council meeting of the Cebu City Development Council (CDC) yesterday, Albert Schweitzer Familienwerk Foundation Philippines Inc. (ASFFPI) President Esekias Malaza objected to the item.

“I don’t see the need to provide senior citizens with vests. I don’t see any relevance. What’s best is to use the money to purchase medicines instead,” he said adding that he’s objecting to the inclusion of the item in the SB1.

The proposed P3.39-billion SB1, which also includes the P2.6-billion proposed prepayment of the South Road Properties (SRP) loan balance, was discussed during the CDC’s full council meeting yesterday.

CDC Presiding Officer May Elizabeth Ybañez, who is also the executive director of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted the objection.

“It is worthy to note that it will still be tackled by the SP (Sangguniang Panlungsod),” she added.

The CCDC is  a multisectoral body, which can review the SB1 and give recommendations to the City Council.

The proposed SB1, however, has met another delay as the City Council will most likely discuss it two weeks from now or on their March 16 regular session. This developed after the Council secretariat announced that there will be no regular session next week.

This is because the councilors will attend the Philippine Councilors League convention.

After the SB1 is  discussed at the City Council in their regular session, a series of budget hearings  will be conducted afterwards.

When sought for comment on the delay, Mayor Rama said the council should know what to do and refused to comment if he would call for the council to hold a special session to discuss the SB1.

The mayor, however, defended his proposal of the senior citizens’ vests, which is priced at P350 each.

“Ever since, naa may vest to identify them. Proud man sila ana basta mag vest. Ayaw lang butangi ug politika or nawng ni Rama (Ever since, there have been vests to identify them. They wear their vests with pride. Just don’t include politics or the face of Rama there),” he told reporters.

He assured though that the city has other budgetary allocations and programs to address other needs of senior citizens like medicines.

The city’s elderly  receive  P12,000 financial assistance from the city government every year.