DAVAO CITY - The proposed 100 percent increase in financial assistance to elderly folks in Davao City hurdled second reading approval by the city council during its regular session on Tuesday (May6).

Councilor Pilar Braga, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science, and technology, arts and culture, said the quarterly financial subsidy to senior citizens should be increased to correspond to the rising cost of medicines, medical and other vital needs of elderly persons.

Braga said the current PhP1,500 financial assistance is no longer enough to help seniors, particularly the needy.

The annual subsidy is planned to be released every July, August, September and October of every year.

Entitled “The Amended Annual Financial Assistance to all Qualified Sernio Citizens Ordinance of Davao City”, the local measure provides for a PhP3,000 financial assistance to qualified senior citizens.

Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr. said that aside from increasing the subsidy, the city is also expected to implement an early payout for the annual financial assistance.

Support for the measure was unanimous as city lawmakers agreed that there is currently an urgent need to assist senior citizens who are sick, incapable of supporting themselves and are currently jobless.