BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The support of Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and Abang Lingkod Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano is being sought by Councilor Celia Flor in urging the House of Representatives to increase the budget allocation for the social pension of senior citizens in Bacolod City.
Flor revealed that only 2,713 of the 40,000 estimated senior citizens of Bacolod City benefit from the social pension program of the national government, through the Department of Social Welfare and Development, as of April this year.
She noted that other highly urbanized cities, such as Iloilo City receive pensions for 13,000 senior citizens, while more than 60,000 of Davao City’s senior citizens benefit from it.
“We have to push for more of our seniors to benefit from the National fund so we can help and cover more senior citizens when we pass our Local social pension fund, Flor said. She also hopes that DWSD Secretary Erwin Tulfo would increase the number for Bacolod City.
She added that there is now an ongoing validation of the Senior Citizens’ database in all Bacolod City barangays, which will serve as the basis of her proposed ordinance on Social Pension that she plans to file.*