Woman getting cash aid from Cebu City, Mandaue

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue are now looking into how a female senior citizen managed to register herself and collected cash assistance from both local government units.
Cebu City Administrator Jose Marie Poblete instructed OSCA head Rolando “Dodong” Llaguno to find out whether Virginia Lopez Paconla is really a resident and registered voter of Barangay Busay.
The Senior Citizens Council in Mandaue City will also convene today to discuss the case involving Paconla, who is also receiving cash assistance from the Mandaue City government.
Libeth Maeng of OSCA-Mandaue City said Paconla is an active member of the Senior Citizens Association in Barangay Guizo with ID No. 13092 issued in 2009.
The name of Paconla has been listed as one of the recipients of the cash assistance to be distributed in June.
Paconla, who claimed she was born on November 15, 1947, has been also issued a Cebu City OSCA ID No. 18926 on May 7, 2008 as a resident of Barangay Busay.
Records of OSCA-Mandaue City showed that Paconla was able to collect P2,000 assistance from the Mandaue City government last year.
In Cebu City, she also collected P3,000 in August and P4,000 in December last year.
Paconla also received P4,000 on March 25 from the Cebu City government and her name is still on the list of those who will receive another cash assistance for senior citizens.
“Kon iya na nga gihimo nga pagpanikas, gabaan ra siya kay senior citizen na ra ba siya og pagpamentaha man kanang iyang gibuhat,” Mayor Michael Rama said
Poblete instructed the OSCA head in Cebu City to investigate the case of Paconla and to look for other similar cases.
The Cebu City government has allocated P600 million as cash assistance for senior citizens.
It was reported that Paconla is residing in Sitio Maaslum in Barangay Busay and her brother works as a member of the barangay’s Lupong Tagapamayapa.
Poblete said if Paconla is found to be an active resident in Mandaue City, she will be asked to decide where between the two cities she would want to receive the financial assistance.
“Pahukmon nato kon asa siya gusto nga magpabiling miyembro sa senior citizens pero kadtong kwarta nga nakuha niya mahimong dili na lang tingali paninglon kay basin may panginahanglan ‘sab siya,” Poblete said.
Llaguno had said several senior citizens from other places applied for OSCA membership in the city in order to avail of the P10,000 cash assistance.
The amount will be raised to P12,000 for each senior citizen in 2014.