Valley seniors seek more financial assistance

WITH THE continued increase of senior citizens population in the Cordillera region, elders in La Trinidad are pushing for more social pension to cope up with the rising cost of basic commodities.

According to the Philippine Statistics Office (PSA), population of senior citizens in the Cordillera region has been increasing to more than 100,000 but only few are given social pension.

Agapito Delmas, head of Office of the Senior Citizen Association (OSCA)- La Trinidad Chapter, said the slots for the supposed social pension given to their municipality are not enough for the population of the registered senior citizens.

“In La Trinidad, we have 5,000 senior citizens but we were only given 600 slots for the social pension. It is really difficult. For other municipalities, example, they are given 900 slots out of the 1,000 senior citizens,” said Delmas.

Delmas said it is saddening the slots are just based on a municipal’s class and not on the number of the senior citizens who are in need.

He added despite the national guidelines for the assistance of the senior citizens around the country, its implementation would still be dependent on the availability of the funds.

Delmas cited the supposed P2,000 burial assistance for a senior citizen.

However, due to lack of funds and other resources, the cash assistance is now converted into a sack of rice.

Moreover, senior citizens who were granted the social pension are only receiving P500 a month which may not be enough for medicines and other medical check-up. Shena Golosino