“Ngayon, umiksi na ang paghihintay ninyo. Hangga’t nandito kami ni Vice Yul, makakasiguro kayo ng tapat at totoong paglilingkod na ang lahat mahalaga at kasama…walang iwanan.”
Thus, Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna told the senior citizens of Manila who attended the signing of Ordinance No. 9081 which doubles the monthly monetary allowance of all bonafide senior citizens of the city of Manila from P500 to P1,000.
Lacuna said the ordinance is the answer to the constant requests of senior citizens in the city, noting that in each of their weekly “Kalinga sa Maynila” program, senior citizens would always ask for an increase in their monthly cash allowance.
“Walang mintis ang paghiling ng ating mga lolo at lola ng pagtaas ng allowance. Ayaw ninyo ng kada tatlong buwan kasi me butal. Ang gusto ng ating mga seniors ay buo so ginawa nating P2,000 kada apat na buwan. Ngayon, dinoble na natin,” Lacuna happily announced in her short message.
“Umiksi na ang paghihintay ninyo. Bagamat di pa rin talaga sapat, pero malaking kaginhawaan na din ito sa inyo para sa inyong mga pangangailangan,” she sadded.
Present during the signing of the said ordinance were Office of Senior Citizens’ Affairs chief Eilnor Jacinto, Secretary to the Mayor Marlon Lacson and the principal authors of the ordinance led by Councilors Philip Lacuna, Fa Fugoso, Uno Lim, Nino dela Cruz, Atty. Jong Isip, Rod Lacsamana, Maile Atienza, Macky Lacson, Lei Lacuna, Charry Ortega and Marjun Isidro.
According to Councilor Lacuna, the ordinance was based on State policy to protect and serve the rights of the elderly is enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution specifically under Article XIII, Section 11, which expressly provides that the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost and further giving priority for the needs of the elderly, among others.
Isip, for his part, stressed that with the aforesaid provisions of the Constitution and the LGC, it is ensured that the elderly are accorded primordial opportunity to have access to essential goods, health and social services in accordance with their needs.
Further, the provisions of the LGC empowers the City Government of Manila to adopt measures to ensure the protection of health, social and moral welfare of its inhabitants, more so for the senior citizens, Isip said.
“Hence, in pursuit of the above mandate, the increase of the monthly monetary allowance of senior citizens from the current P500 to P1,000 is imperative and it is thus a significant support to our senior citizens to enable them to have access to the best quality of healthcare services as well as necessary medicines and essential goods,” they added.
