THE city government of Makati began bringing joy to senior citizens this holiday season as the Makati Social Welfare Department (MSWD) began distributing their year-end cash gift on November 23.
The MSWD will continue to distribute the cash gift until December 11.
In a report to Makati Mayor Abby Binay, MSWD OIC Ryan Barcelo said over 79,000 qualified beneficiaries will receive their cash gift on scheduled dates from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at designated venues.
“We dearly love our elderly Makatizens and we remain committed to giving them a happy life in every way possible. We hope the cash-gift benefit will help defray their expenses for day-to-day needs,” Binay said.
Blu Card holders will receive their year-end cash gift corresponding to their age categories: Beneficiaries aged 60 to 69 years will receive P1,500; 70 years to 79 years, P2,000; and 80 to 89 years old, P2,500.
This year the city has allocated P326.2 million for the cash gift to seniors and centenarians. The cash gift is given in two equal installments every June and December.
The Blu Card Program was launched in 2002 initially to provide financial assistance amounting to P3,000 to beneficiaries of a Blu Card holder until their demise. It was later expanded in 2003 to include financial assistance in the form of a cash gift to augment their budget for daily needs, like food and medicine through City Ordinance 2003-058.
Upon the initiative of Binary, the Makati City Council in December passed City Ordinance 2016-A-043, granting an additional P1,000 to the annual cash gift of Blu Card holders.
Barcelo said the distribution began on November 23 for Blu Card holders from barangays Bel-Air, Southside and Santa Cruz who got their cash gift at their respective barangay halls. At the same date the distribution of cash gift for beneficiaries from La Paz and Valenzuela was done at their covered courts. For barangay Kasilawan, the venue was at the covered court of Barangay Carmona.
On November 24 the distribution for barangays Pitogo, San Lorenzo, Pinagkaisahan, Carmona and Singkamas took place at their barangay halls, distribution took place at the Elderly Wellness Center for the beneficiaries from Tejeros.
Beneficiaries from barangays Olympia (covered court) and Bangkal (barangay hall) were slated on November 27 and 28, while those from barangays Comembo and East Rembo claimed their cash gift at their respective covered courts on November 29.
On December 1 and 2 the distribution was done at the barangay hall of Barangay Rizal and at the covered court of Barangay Poblacion.
The distribution of cash gift for Blu Card holders from Barangay Pembo will take place at their covered court on December 4 and 5.
Recipients from barangay Guadalupe Nuevo can get their cash gift at their covered court on December 4, while beneficiaries from barangay West Rembo can claim theirs at their covered court on December 5.
On December 6 the covered courts of barangays South Cembo and San Antonio will be the venue of the cash-gift distribution.
The covered court of Barangay Palanan and barangay hall of Barangay Guadalupe Viejo will be the venue of the distribution on December 7.
On December 8 the distribution for Barangays Cembo, Dasmariñas and San Isidro will take place at their respective barangay halls. For Barangay Northside, it will be done at the Makati City Hall Building II.
Blu Card holders from Barangays Magallanes, Urdaneta and Forbes Park can claim their cash gift at their respective barangay halls on December 9. Beneficiaries from Barangay Pio del Pilar can get theirs at their covered court on December 9 and December 11.
In claiming the cash gift, beneficiaries who are unable to come in person can send their duly authorized representative, whose name appears at the back of the Blu Card to the Cash Division at the third floor of Makati City Hall. The representative should be able to present a medical certificate as proof of the beneficiaries’ condition, whether bedridden, disabled or confined in a hospital.
Authorization forms are available at the MSWD office at the fifth floor of Makati City Hall.
Senior citizens who are out-of-town or abroad during the distribution of the cash gift are not entitled to claim the benefit, and authorization presented by a representative will not be honored by the Cash Division.
Blu Card holders who have passed on from November 16 onward will still be entitled to the 2017 year-end cash gift.
The Senior Citizen’s National ID card, also known as the White card or any other Senior Citizen’s card, will be honored provided the senior citizen claims their cash gift personally.
Beneficiaries or designated representatives who will not be able to claim their cash gifts on the scheduled date will be given four working days to claim the cash gift at the ground floor of the Makati City Hall Building II.