Cebu City eyes expanding cash aid program for seniors

Local

THOUSANDS more senior citizens in Cebu City could soon become eligible for the city government’s annual financial assistance program.

This is if a newly proposed ordinance pushing for expanded coverage gains approval.

The measure, authored by Cebu City Councilors Nyza “Nice” Archival, Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr., and Harry Eran, seeks to amend City Ordinance No. 2453, the law granting qualified senior citizens P12,000 in yearly financial aid.

The proposal widens eligibility by adjusting the voter registration cut-off year from 2013 to 2014.

Under the current ordinance, only senior citizens registered as Cebu City voters by 2013 may qualify for the assistance.

The proposed amendment would include those who registered in 2014, a group lawmakers said has long remained excluded from the program.

In the proposed ordinance, the authors noted that “there is a significant number of senior citizens who registered as voters in 2014 but are currently excluded from this benefit and remain on a waiting list.”

The proposal was endorsed on May 18, 2026, and has been referred to the City Council committees on laws, senior citizens, and finance for further review.

The ordinance specifically seeks to amend Section 5(c) of City Ordinance No. 2453, as previously amended by City Ordinance No. 2529 in 2019.

If approved, the revised provision would read: “Must be a registered voter of Cebu City as of year 2014 as evidenced by a Voter’s Certification issued by COMELEC.”

City Ordinance No. 2453 originally limited eligibility to senior citizens registered as Cebu City voters since 2010. In 2019, City Ordinance No. 2529 expanded the coverage to include voters registered by 2013.

The latest proposal aims to further broaden that coverage in line with the city’s social welfare mandate under Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991.

Citing the law, the ordinance stated that local governments are empowered to implement “programs and projects for the welfare of the elderly” as part of their basic services and social welfare responsibilities.

“The City Council deems it necessary to expand the coverage of City Ordinance No. 2453, as amended, from 2013 to 2014, to reflect the policy direction of the City in identifying qualified beneficiaries,” the proposal read.

The measure also contains standard separability and repealing clauses and provides that the ordinance will take effect 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation or posting at Cebu City Hall, whichever comes earlier.

The proposal has yet to undergo committee deliberations before it can advance to succeeding readings before the Cebu City Council.(TGP)