Cebu City to distribute seniors’ financial aid next week

A senior citizen couple receives their financial aid in Barangay Mabolo in this 2017 file photo.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senior citizens in Cebu City may finally see a silver lining amidst the dim of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis as the city government plans to distribute their three months worth of financial assistance starting May 11, 2020.

Mayor Edgardo Labella announced on Wednesday, May 6, 2020, that the city has been given a go-signal by the Commission on Audit (COA) to use pictures as evidence or proof that the money was received instead of signing receipt documents.

With this, the distribution will be done house to house or by sitio, with the senior citizen being taken a photo upon receiving the financial aid.

The mayor assured that social distancing and proper disinfection before, during, and after the distribution will be strictly observed.

Lawyer Jerone Castillo, the Mayor’s Special Assistant for Finance and Treasury, said that the city’s finance department is already wrapping up the processing of the payroll for the distribution to happen.

He said the city is grateful that COA has been lenient to the city for allowing the distribution through pictures instead of signatures.

He assured the public that the distribution will be safe for the senior citizens.

“The senior citizen must wear a mask during the distribution. There will be no close contact, and for areas too difficult for house to house distribution, there will be designated distribution areas close to them,” said Castillo.

The senior citizens are expected to receive P3,000 for the months of March, April, and May.

Those who cannot claim their financial assistance may still do so at the Cebu City Hall after the lifting of the enhanced community quarantine. /rcg