The local government of Manila has given 203,000 senior citizens a P2,000 each as cash aid from the city government.

Mayor Honey Lacuna reported that the payout for the said monthly allowances began on 8 September and is ongoing.

Office of Senior Citizens’ Affairs (OSCA) chief Elinor Jacinto explained that the P2,000 given to the senior citizens represents their monthly allowances of P500 each, covering May to August 2024.

As of 31 August 2024, Jacinto said that the total number of senior citizens in the city had reached 203,000.

She said that the cash distribution and liquidation of senior citizens’ allowances were being handled by public employment service office (PESO) chief Fernan Bermejo.

The payouts were divided into two districts on specific dates. The last payout is scheduled to take place from 21 to 27 September 2024, covering Districts 5 and 6.

In an earlier statement, Lacuna disclosed that the allowances, which are being given as part of the local government’s social amelioration program, are now being coursed through the barangays due to requests from senior citizens who encounter problems using e-wallets.

Lacuna and Jacinto have been calling on senior citizens to surrender their e-wallet cards, which will expire by the end of the month, and have them replaced with OSCA IDs, which have no expiration and can also be used in claiming their monthly allowance.