BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved on first reading the proposed ordinance providing maintenance medicines for hypertension and diabetes to all senior citizen residents of this city during their regular session on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
Councilor Celia Flor had proposed such a measure, citing that, due to lack of funds, indigent senior citizens are unable to purchase their maintenance medicines and sustain their daily necessities, thus needing financial support from the government.
The chair of the SP committee on senior citizens and veterans said, in the proposed ordinance, funds will be appropriated to the City Health Office (CHO) for the purchase of maintenance medicines, exclusive for the city’s indigent senior citizens.
Senior citizens with an identification card from the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) who have undergone the free check-up and have a prescription from the CHO are eligible to avail themselves of the free medicines.
Earlier, the city council approved on its third and final reading the proposed ordinance providing a social pension for indigent senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the city.
Under the ordinance, each beneficiary will receive P6,000 annually to be released every quarter of the year.
Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez assured the beneficiaries that the release of the social pension will start by next year./PN
