CEBU City’s eligible senior citizens will receive their first-quarter financial assistance from the local government starting the first week of March 2025.
Financial assistance for persons with disabilities (PWDs) will follow a week later, Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia announced during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025.
Garcia said in a press conference that he had signed an exemption request addressed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to bypass the disbursement ban on public funds during the election period.
The City Government adjusted the distribution schedule for senior citizens from the last week of March to the first week to prevent delays that could affect PWD beneficiaries.
Garcia said the initial distribution date is set for Monday, March 3.
“I don’t want PWD assistance to be pushed back to April, as often happens. This time, I want seniors and PWDs to receive their aid early so they can use it immediately,” Garcia said.
With the midterm elections in May, Garcia assured the public that the distribution would proceed as planned, even if the Comelec rejects their exemption request. He said he has a “backup plan” to ensure beneficiaries receive their aid.
Under Comelec Resolution 11060, public officials — including barangay leaders and government-owned corporations — cannot disburse public funds within 45 days before the elections unless Comelec grants an exemption.
The poll body recently released a resolution banning the distribution of certain government financial aid programs 10 days before the midterm elections on May 12. This ban includes programs, such as Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations, Ayuda Para sa Kapos ang Kita Program, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers.
However, medical and burial assistance are exempted from this ban.
The Comelec’s decision aims to prevent potential vote-buying or abuse of state resources during the election period. Candidates are prohibited from attending any cash aid distributions during this time to ensure fairness in the electoral process.
For his part, Garcia confirmed that the exemption request had already been submitted to Comelec, which set Feb. 11 as the deadline for such applications.
Council’s approval
Last Feb. 5, the City Council approved the executive department’s request for exemption, allowing the release of funds for social services and housing projects. The request was approved a week after it was deferred due to a missing key document.
However, councilors amen-ded the initial proposed disbursement amounts before granting approval.
Among the revisions, the financial aid for senior citizens was reduced from P279 million to P100 million, while the PWD assistance was lowered from P184 million to P30 million.
Qualified senior citizens will receive P3,000 for January to March, as they are entitled to a P1,000 monthly allowance, which is released in three-month batches.
Cebu City has around 90,000 registered senior citizens who have been part of the program since 2013 or earlier. / EHP