By
PERCY A OSTONAL
Michigan, USA
WHETHER
you're for a quick or lengthy business visit to the Senior Citizens Center of
Jose Panganiban at the back of the municipal town hall, you'll always find
someone ready to help.
The
center has two clerical staff. This one-storey building of concrete, enclosed
with concrete fence and steel gate has an office, conference room, recreational
area and toilets for both sexes.
Engr
Ruben B Espana, president of JP Senior Citizens Federation and president of Baranggay
North Poblacion since 2004, spearheads the management of the center and the
implementation of its programs/services for the senior citizens.
Under
the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the center is supervised by
the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) headed by Raymundo Rodelas.
During
monthly meeting, senior citizens would raise issues/concerns related to updates
on the privileges and benefit they are entitled to.
To
further improve the implementation of its programs/services, the senior
citizens are being asked for their ideas, suggestions or recommendations.
Engr
Espana, being the president of the federation, regularly coordinates with the
different Baranggay Senior Citizens Association (BASCA) to boost the
operation of their association chapters and the implementation of
programs/services in the baranggay level.
The
center programs and services have delivered the following benefits:
*
Free consultation and medicines with P300-P2,500 medical assistance depending
on the nature of illness;
*Formation
of dance troupe which performs during the festivities of the elderly.
*Strengthened
spiritual/value formation of senior citizens and their families;
*Awareness
on family planning, shared parental responsibility on child-rearing and violence
against women and their children;
*Open
opportunities for income-generating projects to augment family income;
*Financial
assistance to the family of a deceased senior citizen;
*Likewise,
senior citizens are aware of their privileges specifically on availing of
discount on goods and services from business establishments through the support
of the local chief executive.
(NOTE:
All above information was taken from the letter of Ma. Alicia S Bonoan, director
1V Standard Bureau, Department of Social Welfare and Development addressed to
then municipal mayor William Lim on March 31, 2009, for the attention of Severa Alejandro, MSWDO.
It
is assumed by this writer that said directives are still in effect
as Engr Espana has initialled a copy I received.)
Special
appeal to all Mambulaoans:
According
to Engr Espana, the JP Senior Citizens Center is in dire need of computer
software for data banking "ever-growing numbers" of seniors citizens
of our town.
Their
budget insufficient, the center has asked the the then administration of
Lim for support but it was apparent there was no action taken to such
important request.
On
behalf of our senior citizens back home, I am knocking on your kind hearts
for a generous donation of such software.
It
would be greatly appreciated.
Please
DON'T SEND CASH, requested Engr Espana.
The
sought computer set should have a storage capacity of 2GB to handle information
of more than 3,000 members.
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