Christmas comes early for the elderly in Makati

The distribution of yearend cash gifts to senior citizens has started in Makati City, giving early Christmas presents to the elderly.

Makati City Mayor Abigail Binay said she ordered the release of the incentives to over 76,891 senior citizens in the city as early as mid-November until December 9. The cash gifts range from R1,500 to R5,000 aside from Pamaskong Handog gift bags.

“We have begun distributing the cash gift and Christmas gift bags in advance for the convenience of our senior citizens. We want all concerned city personnel on hand to provide them the needed assistance in claiming their benefits from the city,” Mayor Binay said.

For this year, the city has allocated a total of R331.7 million as cash gift for senior citizens and centenarians under the Blu Card Program, which includes R142.5 million for the yearend cash gift.

Binay said Blu Card holders will receive their yearend cash gift corresponding to their age categories as follows: 60-69 years old, R1,500; 70-79 years old, R2,000; 8089 years old, R2,500; and 90 years old and above, R5,000.

Blu Card holders who have claimed their cash gift on the scheduled date and time at the designated venue have also been given their Pamaskong Handog ticket so they could immediately exchange it for a bagful of giveaways.

Each bag contains a Makatizen shirt, three cans each of plain canned tuna, flavored canned tuna, corned beef, a can of luncheon meat, two cans of sausage, a pack of spaghetti sauce, a pack of pasta, a can of fruit cocktail, a can of condensed milk, a slab of cheese, and a pack of cream.

A total of 1,347 beneficiaries of deceased Blu Card members have received burial assistance amounting to R3,000, while 4,763 new Blu Cards have been issued to new senior citizens.