SENIOR citizens in Cebu City welcomed the approval of their financial assistance; however, many remain worried that the P3,000 aid will barely cover their medicine and daily needs.
The City Council on Sept. 10, 2025, authorized the release of P11.4 million to fund the third-quarter payout for the senior citizens’ financial aid, allowing the 93,037 qualified senior citizens to finally receive their aid by the third week of September.
The distribution had been delayed after the Council deferred the approval of the budget during the Sept. 2 session due to questions regarding the accuracy of the master list.
For seniors who have been waiting, the assistance is a relief, but it comes with mixed feelings.
Cecilia Ibañez, 63, said the P3,000 aid is far from enough to cover her monthly prescriptions, but added that it is still better than having nothing.
Ibañez sells goods to help cover the cost of her maintenance medicine, though she admits there are days when she earns nothing.
For Eduardo Tan, 67, the money is quickly eaten up by the cost of medicine.
He expressed frustration that the money intended to last for three months would only be spent on his maintenance medicine. He added that the aid was barely enough to cover his daily living expenses.
Another beneficiary, Prisco Gequillo, 70, shared the same concern, pointing out that aside from the cost of medicine, he still has to use the cash aid for his food and other basic necessities.
He noted that the financial aid is not enough, especially for his maintenance medication.
Gequillo also recalled that under the previous administration, the assistance was typically released within the first week of the month, which made it easier to manage his expenses.
Namesia Ewayan, 65, said she is often forced to ration her medication due to limited funds.
While she acknowledged that the cash assistance is a significant help for her daily needs, she hoped that the amount could be slightly increased to prevent beneficiaries like her from needing to borrow money just to afford essential medicine. / Bryce Ken Abellon, USJR Intern