Rama eyes non-cash assistance for seniors

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama wants his allies in the City Council to propose an ordinance to grant non-cash assistance to senior citizens in the city on top of the P12,000 annual financial assistance they get.

Rama said he’s withdrawing his earlier proposal to buy vests for the city’s senior citizens, which was included in the proposed P3.39 billion Supplemental Budget 1 (SB1) this year.

“We recognize the concerns of senior citizens, but we also have to be mindful that we don’t want Cebu to become a welfare city,” Rama told reporters yesterday.

He said he already gave a directive to Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella and to Team Rama councilors to draft an ordinance for the provision of non-cash benefits for senior citizens like medicines, groceries and other assistance.

The ordinance should also contain guidelines in giving out the additional assistance, he said. If possible, Rama said he hopes the ordinance can be submitted within the year and funding can be provided through another supplemental budget.

As for the proposed budget of P24.15 million for the vests for senior citizens, the mayor said he’s withdrawing it. The budget was supposed to be used for the purchase of vests that cost P350 each to be given to over 6,000 senior citizens.

During the Cebu City Development Council full council meeting last week, an official from a non-government organization objected to the item under the SB1, saying it’s not necessary and that the money could be used for more important needs like medicines.

He said the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs can realign the budget once the city council approves the ordinance giving non-cash assistance to senior citizens.

As for the ordinance seeking an increase of the annual cash assistance for persons with disabilities from P5,000 to P12,000, Rama said only those deserving are entitled to receive additional cash aid.