MANILA – A total of 2,006 families left homeless by the massive fire in Tondo, Manila over the weekend received cash assistance worth PHP10,000 from the city government.
Mayor Honey Lacuna led the distribution of cash aid to affected residents of the Aroma Compound in Barangay 105 at the General Vicente Lim Elementary School on Tuesday, according to a news release from the Manila Public Information Office on Wednesday.
The fire victims also received hygiene kits and relief goods.
Lacuna thanked the majority of the City Council members for swiftly passing the resolution that allowed the release of funds for the measure.
“Ang mabilis na pag-apruba ng City Council sa resolusyong ito ay patunay na kapag ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan ang nakataya, walang kulay ng pulitika—lahat tayo ay nagkakaisa para sa kapakanan ng bawat pamilyang Manileño (The City Council's fast approval of this resolution is a proof that when the welfare of our kababayans are at stake, there should be no political color involved. We should all unit for the benefit of every Manileño family),” she said.
The fire displaced 6,726 individuals, including 3,862 minors, 2,580 adults, 64 persons with disabilities (PWDs), and 220 senior citizens.
Among the affected residents, 1,559 owned their homes, 297 rented units, and 150 shared accommodations.
Lacuna also commended the resilience of the community and highlighted the importance of collaboration between the local government and barangay officials in ensuring timely assistance.
Cash aid for elderly
Meanwhile, Lacuna appealed to all senior citizens in the city to already surrender their PayMaya cards which are expiring this month.
She said members of the vulnerable sector will be given a new Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) card that does not have an expiration date, which they can use to claim their cash allowance.
Starting this month, the payout of the PHP500 monthly cash for senior citizens will be conducted in barangays.
As for those who are bedridden or immobilized and cannot leave their homes, they will be visited upon request by barangay officials, so they too can be issued senior citizen cards.
Meanwhile, Elinor Jacinto of the city's OSCA said another option is to authorize an able-bodied companion of elderly residents to get their senior cards for them.
The authorized representative may either go straight to the OSCA office in City Hall or visit any "Kalinga sa Maynila" where OSCA booths are set up for the purpose. (PNA)
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