About 90,555 senior citizens from the north and south districts of Cebu City received their monthly cash assistance from the local government on 21 and 23 March.

Cebu City Treasurer Mare Vae Reyes told media that the city government allocated around P272 million every quarter of this year for the cash aid.

The beneficiaries received P3,000 covering the months of January to March.

Lawyer Homer Cabaral, the head of the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs of Cebu City, said the money was distributed in the barangay while the next distribution schedule from 25 March to 4 April will be at the city hall.

In observance of the Holy Week, there will be no distribution from 28 to 31 March.

Under City Ordinance No. 2453, as amended by City Ordinance No. 2529, qualified senior citizens are entitled to receive P1,000 financial assistance monthly or a total of P12,000 financial aid for a year.

One requirement for an applicant of cash aid is that the senior citizen must be a resident of Cebu City for at least six months. He or she also must be a registered voter of Cebu City as of 2013, with the original and recent Comelec-issued Voter’s Certificate as proof. The senior citizen must secure their city-issued senior citizen ID.

There are about 39,000 senior citizens from the North District and 46,000 from the South district.

In random interviews conducted by Daily Tribune, Judy Rosacena, 78 years old, of Barangay Tinago, said she uses the “ayuda” for medicines and food.

She agreed that the senior aid is more practical being released every three months than in monthly payout.

“Mas maayo tulo ka bulan ang release kay matigum,” she said. (It’s better that the release be every three months as it will be in bulk compared to P1,000 monthly.)

Ferdinand Ruiz, 82, of Barangay Kalubihan, said the cash aid are for his maintenance medicines for diabetes and hypertension.

He added that the extra money received will be for his three grandchildren.

Ruiz said he will treat them to a snack at a popular fastfood restaurant.