GOOD news to the 203,000 senior citizens residing in Manila.
Mayor Honey Lacuna announced that starting January 2025, their monthly cash allowance of P500 will already be doubled to P1,000, so as to further augment their financial capacity to purchase their needs such as medicines, among others, and will already be given quarterly, instead of every four months, based on their request.
Speaking at the Elderly Month celebration at the Palacio del Gobernador, Lacuna said that based on plans, the city’s senior citizens’ will be receiving P3,000 every three months or per quarter.
“Hindi ako mahilig mangako. Pag ako nangako, tinutupad ko. Ang ginagamit ko puso, hindi nguso,” the lady mayor stressed.
Lacuna asked the senior citizens present to spread the good news to their fellow elderly, as she requested Vice Mayor Yul Servo, who was also present in the affair, to immediately work on the ordinance that would enable the implementation of the said increase.
“Vice Mayor Yul, alam mo na ang gagawin mo,” Lacuna told Servo, who immediately responded in the affirmative.
The increase, according to the mayor, is the result of the city government’s efforts to cleanse the senior citizen’s list of those who are no longer residing in the city or who have already transferred residence, including those who have already passed away.
The provision of allowance for senior citizens became effective with the passage of the social amelioration program (SAP) ordinance by the Manila City Council, through the stewardship of Lacuna who was then vice mayor and concurrent Presiding Officer of the Manila City Council.
The said ordinance was passed during the pandemic, with Lacuna calling for sessions even during weekends or holidays, depending on the urgency of the measure that need to be passed that would redound to the benefit of Manilans.
The SAP also includes in the provision of monthly financial asisstance the city’s solo parents, persons with disability and students from the two city-run universities namely, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and the Universidad de Manila (UdM).
When Lacuna became mayor, she requested the council to pass an ordinance that would include the minors with disability (MWDs) in the SAP.
