The Manila City government on Tuesday inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with PayMaya to provide citizen benefits card for the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and solo parents.

Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and top officials of PayMaya signed the MOA which mandates PayMaya to issue ID cards to beneficiaries where they would receive their monthly allowances. They would not have to go to Manila City Hall or other government offices.

Beneficiaries can also use the company’s other financial services once they link their ID cards to the PayMaya app.

“Walang mayaman, walang middle-class, walang mahirap. Ano ang susi? PayMaya ang susi. Gusto kong ipabatid sa inyo, laway-laway lang ito. Walang tosgas (There are no rich, middle-class, poor. What is the key? PayMaya is the key. All these were accomplished through talks. No money was spent),” Domagoso said.

“Kung talagang gustong tumulong ng gobyerno, tumulong na lang ng walang hinihintay na kapalit (If the government wants to help, it should help without asking anything in return),” he added.

Earlier, Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8565 which grants a PHP500 monthly allowance to senior citizens, PWDs and solo parents who are residents of Manila. It will be implemented in January next year.

To receive the monthly stipends, beneficiaries must be residents and registered voters of the city.

For senior citizens, the beneficiary must be included in the master list of the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs. Meanwhile, PWDs and solo parents, must be included in the master list of the Manila Department of Social Welfare.