CEBU City Councilor Sisinio Andales has proposed a P3,000 increase in the annual financial assistance for registered senior citizens from P12,000 to P15,000 to help them cope with inflation.
In a privilege speech on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Andales said the current aid is no longer sufficient to cover the beneficiaries’ basic needs due to rising cost of basic commodities and the high cost of living.
“While this amount may have once provided a modest relief, we must acknowledge that time has changed,” said Andales.
Andales, a senior citizen himself, also proposed an adjustment to the eligibility requirements for the financial assistance. This includes changing the eligibility cutoff for voter registration from 2013 to 2021 to allow more senior citizens to receive the aid.
“By recalibrating the cutoff year, we recognize the growing number of elderly residents in Cebu City who have yet to benefit from the ordinance through no fault of their own,” he said.
Andales asked the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to gather comprehensive data on the demographics of senior citizens and the number of current beneficiaries.
He also requested the OSCA to report on the potential financial impact of the proposed increase.
Andales urged the City Council to act on the proposal with urgency by passing legislation that addresses the needs of senior citizens.
“Let us make the Cebu City Government a city that cares—not only in words; but more importantly, in action,” said Andales.
Andales’ proposals were referred to the Committee on Budget and Finance and the Committee on Senior Citizens Affairs.
Cebu City’s current financial assistance program for senior citizens is governed by City Ordinance No. 2453, which was amended by Ordinance No. 2529. Under the ordinance, eligible senior citizens receive P3,000 quarterly, for a total of P12,000 a year. / EHP