CEBU City Hall departments were directed to minimize expenses on travel and large-scale activities, aiming to close a significant budget shortfall and ensure all registered senior citizens receive their financial assistance.
This was Mayor Nestor Archival’s directive to City Hall department heads to sustain the senior citizens’ cash assistance program.
A proposal to increase the annual financial aid for senior citizens from P12,000 to P15,000 has been filed in the City Council, with several councilors stressing that inflation and rising costs of living have eroded the value of the current assistance.
As of 2025, Cebu City has 94,009 registered senior citizens. Each qualified beneficiary is entitled to P12,000 annually, or P3,000 every quarter.
Shortfall
Councilor Harry Eran, in his privilege speech during the regular session on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, said the City allotted P1.104 billion for this year’s program, but the total requirement is P1.126 billion, resulting in a shortfall of P21.89 million.
In addition, the City still needs to pay P8.87 million for around 2,000 seniors who were not able to receive their financial aid in the last two quarters of 2024. Altogether, the City faces a funding gap of P30.7 million.
Archival admitted the challenge, but emphasized that the city can generate additional revenue.
The City Treasurer’s Office has identified more than P1 billion in collectibles from institutions with unsettled obligations.
Archival also said the City could save millions by trimming costs on official travel, multi-day planning sessions in hotels, large-scale sports festivals and other activities that consume significant public funds.
The mayor also assured that the master list of beneficiaries is being updated to remove the names of those who have already passed away.
Eran said while the proposal to raise the aid to P15,000 annually is laudable, the immediate concern is to address the funding backlog.
Councilor Sisinio Andales, in a privilege speech on Aug. 12, a senior citizen himself, pushed for the increase, saying the current P12,000 is no longer enough given the high cost of basic goods.
He also proposed adjusting eligibility requirements, including moving the cutoff for voter registration from 2013 to 2021 to expand the coverage.
Archival said the City’s priority is to settle the funding gap and serve all the registered seniors, but the long-term goal remains to increase the annual financial aid to 15,000.
Lapu-Lapu City
Meanwhile, 120 octogenarians and nonagenarians in Lapu-Lapu City each received a much-needed P10,000 cash aid under the Expanded Centenarians Act on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
This first batch of beneficiaries, whose birthdays were from January to June, comprised 106 individuals who are 80 and 85 years old, and 14 who are 90 and 95 years old.
The Expanded Centenarian Program grants financial aid to senior citizens aged 80 and above, as part of the government’s effort to honor and support the country’s elderly population.
For 85-year-old Crispina Sagarino, the cash gift is more than just a number, the incentive will go directly for her maintenance medicine, which is essential as she has limited mobility.
As of August 2025, there are around 38,000 registered senior citizens in Lapu-Lapu City.
Application, requirements
Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (Osca) focal person Jonah Nuñez said tracking of the second batch of applicants is ongoing.
Nuñez said a birthday certificate is a primary requirement for applicants for the Expanded Centenarians Act.
Other alternative documents include baptismal certificate, marriage contract, or a valid government-issued ID like a national ID, voter’s ID, or driver’s license. A certification from the Commission on Elections can also be used as proof of identity and age.
Applicants can submit their requirements to the Osca office or through their respective barangay senior citizens chapter president.
They must also fill out three application forms, which must be notarized.
Nuñez said all applications are forwarded to the National Commission of Senior Citizens for validation to ensure the master list of recipients is accurate. / CAV, DPC