P11.4 million released for 93K senior citizens in Cebu City

Local

MORE than 93,000 senior citizens in Cebu City are set to finally receive their financial assistance.

This comes after the City Council approved the release of P11.4 million for the third quarter, even as questions lingered over payroll discrepancies and fluctuating beneficiary numbers.

The measure, passed during the council's regular session on September 10, authorizes the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to distribute P3,000 each to 93,037 qualified seniors.

The lump sum covers July to September, equivalent to the city’s monthly P1,000 aid program.

Mayor Nestor Archival had earlier promised the elderly that the payout would push through within the third week of September.

“Ang among ikahatag ni Jun nga mo-promise ‘mi nga karon’g September makuha ang tulo ka buwan. Unya ini’g ka Disyembre naa gihapon nga dili gyud ma-late,” Archival said.

The approval came after sharp interpellations from the minority bloc, which flagged the shifting number of listed beneficiaries.

Councilor Sisinio Andales, minority floor leader, noted that the senior citizens’ master list rose from 92,998 in the first quarter to 94,099 in the second quarter, before dropping to 93,037 in the third.

“I noticed here that there is an increase in the number of senior citizens. It’s so sudden. During the time when Lea Japson was a city councilor, there were only about 70,000 registered seniors, and the cut-off was 2013. They were very strict in admitting beneficiaries,” Andales said.

He further questioned whether the surge was tied to the May 2025 elections.

“Why was there a sudden increase? Just because it was election time?” he asked.

Other members defended the measure, stressing that the priority is to deliver aid on schedule.

Councilor Harry Eran recalled that past administrations admitted thousands of qualified seniors under existing ordinances.

“In fact, there were still many seniors who applied and qualified but were not covered due to limited funding. This representation has always urged the mayor to allocate enough funds so all qualified seniors can receive assistance,” he said.

Councilor Alcover explained that fluctuations are normal, given deaths and updates in the payroll.

“This is not unusual. Numbers will rise or fall depending on the departures during a given period. If we had strictly monthly distributions, the figures would have been clearer,” he said.

To address questions, OSCA officer-in-charge Teresita Fernandez was called before the council. She clarified that the second-quarter rise was due to previous admissions, while the third-quarter decrease reflected a payroll cleansing.

“Because nag-cleansing mi sa system, naka-dismiss mi og 1,062 [beneficiaries] who were already deceased. Wala mi gipuno nga bag-o tungod sa budget deficit of P11.3 million,” Fernandez explained.

She stressed that no new names were added under her watch, as she only assumed office on July 11.

Councilor Franklyn Ong urged OSCA to submit a clearer breakdown of its payroll and to review the aid system.

“We cannot deprive seniors just because we are short on budget. It’s high time to review the assistance program to ensure fairness,” Ong said.

Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña echoed the call for stricter fiscal discipline.

“I don’t like one person getting something while another is left with nothing. That’s not justice. We cannot just spend and spend—we need to cut fat from other items,” Osmeña said.

The City Treasurer’s Office has certified that funds are available for the P11.4 million release. The resolution, sponsored by Councilor Dave Tumulak, amends earlier council measures to authorize OSCA to proceed with the distribution.

“This is very important because the distribution has already been announced by the mayor for the third week of September. OSCA has requested this augmentation to ensure the release of assistance for all qualified senior citizens,” Tumulak said.(TGP)