MANILA – Elderly residents in the country’s capital city will see their monthly allowance from the city government double starting next year.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna on Thursday signed Ordinance 9081, increasing the monthly cash benefit of the city’s senior citizens from the present PhP 500 to PhP 1, 000 effective January 2025.
The payout will start in March 2025, as the cash allowance will be distributed every quarter.
During the rites for the signing of the measure at the City Hall, Lacuna said this is in response to the constant requests of senior citizens for a higher monthly allowance.
“Our grandfathers and grandmothers do not fail in asking for a hike in their allowance. Now, we have doubled it,” she said.
The present PhP 500 monthly cash allowance for the city’s senior citizens is released every four months, equivalent to PhP 2, 000.
Present during the signing of the ordinance were its principal authors Councilors Philip Lacuna, Fa Fugoso, Uno Lim, Nino Dela Cruz, Jong Isip, Rod Lacsamana, Maile Atienza, Macky Lacson, Lei Lacuna, Charry Ortega, and Marjun Isidro, as well as Office of Senior Citizens’ Affairs chief Eilnor Jacinto and Secretary to the Mayor Marlon Lacson.
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, and 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, meanwhile, noted that with these provisions of the Constitution and theLocal Government Code (LGC), it is ensured that the elderly are accorded primordial opportunity to have access to essential goods, and health and social services based on their needs.
Further, the provisions of the LGC empower the Manila city government to adopt measures to ensure the protection of health, social, and moral welfare of its inhabitants, more so for the senior citizens, she added.
“Hence, in pursuit of the above mandate, the increase of the monthly monetary allowance of senior citizens from the current PhP 500 to PhP 1, 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 health care services, as well as necessary medicines and essential goods,” they added.
The city’s new allowance rate for the elderly matches the national government’s social pension for indigents being disbursed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (PNA)