An increase in the annual financial subsidy nears as the 20th Davao City Council on Tuesday approved on second reading the ordinance raising the aid from P1,500 to a maximum of P3,000.
The ordinance amending Ordinance No. 0954-22, once finalized on third reading, will provide greater support to elder residents in the city.
Councilor Pilar Braga, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, in a media interview said that the maximum increase of P3,000 will depend on the availability of government funds.
“The ordinance is allocating P3,000 as an annual subsidy for our qualified senior citizens. That’s the ceiling, depending on the availability of the funds of the government because we have sectors that also have some benefits,” she said.
She said increasing the subsidy is a step toward easing the financial burden of senior citizens.
“Kahit konti lang at least nakakatulong naman (Even if it’s just a little, at least it helps) We are not stopping there, as long as our income increases we would also would like to increase and add more to the benefits that we’re giving our senior citizens and other sectors,” she said.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) aims to give the P1,500 subsidy to a total of 168,799 senior citizens in the city.
From October 2024 to May 2025, a total of 141,544 seniors have already received financial aid, while 27,255 remain on the distribution list.
Braga said the ordinance will officially take effect once the Mayor signs it into law. CIO
