• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Five members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod are pushing for the grant of P1,000 cash gift to each eligible senior citizen in the city on his or her birthday.
Councilor Em Ang, who authored the proposed ordinance that was approved on fist reading Jan. 7, said that “granting a cash birthday gift to senior citizens is a gesture of appreciation for their dedication and service to the community”.
She took note of the invaluable contributions and sacrifices of senior citizens in the development and progress of Bacolod, adding that under Republic Act 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, local governments are tasked to provide additional benefits and privileges to the elderly.
“It is the city’s duty to promote the welfare and well-being of its senior citizens and ensure that their dignity and rights are respected,” the proposal, co-authored by councilors Celia Matea Flor, Dindo Ramos, Caesar Distrito, and Bobby Rojas, stressed.
Per the proposal, registered voters 60 years old and above, not earning more than P60,000 per annum, either as salary, pension, or business profit, or a combination, and residents of Bacolod for at least one year prior to their birthday, shall be eligible for the cash gift.
He/she must also be a member of the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and is a holder of a valid senior citizen’s identification card.
The proposed ordinance will undergo a public hearing soon, and deliberated by the SP for second, and third and final reading. | CGC
