Pursuant City Ordinance No. 466, Mayor Beng Climaco has rolled out another first of her administration’s social services program, this time giving out cash incentives amounting to P12 million as birthday gifts to senior citizens who are members of the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines (FSCAP)-ZC chapter.

A total of 3,336 senior citizens gathered yesterday morning at the City Coliseum to receive their cash gifts distributed by personnel of the City Social Welfare and Development Office headed by Maria Socorro Rojas.

Climaco, who incidentally will celebrate her birthday on Sept. 7, graced the event by doing the ceremonial distribution and unveiling of a giant birthday cake for the senior citizens.

Under the ordinance, the birthday cash incentives will be given annually starting this year to all senior citizens at different amounts per bracket: P500 for ages 60 to 69; P700 for ages 70 to 79; P800 for ages 80 to 90; P1,500 for ages 91 to 94 and P2,000 for ages 95 to 99.

Only legitimate members of the Federation of Senior Citizens Affairs of the Philippines (FSCAP)-Zamboanga City chapter are eligible to receive the cash gift.

Yesterday’s first batch of recipients came from barangays Tictabon, Arena Blanco, Mampang, Talon-Talon, Tetuan, Lumayang, Tugbungan, Guiwan, Putik, Lunzuran, Divisoria, Boalan and Zambowood composing Zone 4 or Tetuan district.

This is the first ever for senior citizens in Zamboanga to receive birthday cash gifts from the city government. Last year, the city also started for the first time the giving of centennial incentive of P50,000 to senior citizens aged 100 and above.

Meanwhile, the schedule for the distribution of the birthday cash gifts to senior citizens in other areas as follows: September 5- Talon-talon barangay hall 9am; Tugbungan barangay hall 9am; Lunzuran barangay hall 2pm and Boalan barangay hall 2pm and for September 6 –Divisoria barangay hall 9am; Lumbangan barangay hall 9am; Mampang barangay hall 2pm and Putik barangay hall 2pm.-(Vic Larato)