Senior Zambo citizens, vulnerable sector to benefit from ‘Executive Budget’

ZAMBOANGA’S ELDERLY and those in the vulnerable sector will largely benefit from the proposed 2021 Executive Budget amounting to P 4.38 billion which Mayor Beng Climaco said is a unique configuration of fiscal plans which assimilate all the previously identified needs of the City and the new challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Mayor Beng Climaco speaks to an old woman. (Kathy Wee Sit)

The Chief Covid-19 fighter said her main priorities remain the same since even before she became mayor in 2013 and these are security, health and education. 

“This budget encompasses all of our social and health-related needs during this crisis. It aims to feed the hungry and heal the sick, hence let us listen to the needs of our people and find it in our hearts to see that this is more than a fiscal plan – it is our roadmap to health and recovery from the global challenge, that is Covid-19,” Climaco said. 

She said some P26 million are also appropriated for the “birthday” benefits of senior citizens and P1 million for octogenarians or person who is from 80 to 89 years old; nonagenarians or those who are 90 to 99 years old; and centenarians or those who are 100 years old and above; and another P5 million for people with disabilities. 

“Since our society’s patriarchs and matriarchs are in need of these social protection programs, now more than ever, as well as our PWDs and other vulnerable sectors, we have included twenty-six million pesos million appropriation for the birthday benefits of our elderly people, and one million pesos for the Octogenarian, Nonagenarian and Centenarian; and five million (pesos) for PWDs,” the mayor stressed, adding, other social programs included in the budget are the P187 million “Largo Vida” Program, which is expanded to include not only the distribution of medicines to elderly people and other vulnerable members of the communities, but also vitamins and health supplements.

And the P65-million “Ayuda La Vida Program” intended to provide community livelihood projects for various sectors including the night market and “ukay-ukay” stall holders; P50 million for the “Cuida Vida Program” (Soup Kitchen Program) - a mobile feeding initiative to sustain the daily meals of the marginalized and most affected families of the Covid-19 pandemic.

She said the budget also has P50 million for “Salva Vida Program” which is intended to provide food packs and  family hygiene kits to low-income families in disadvantaged rural and urban communities; P15 million for the outreach services to all of Zamboanga’s 98 barangays; and P100 million for “Socialized Housing Programs”.

“As evident in our plans and programs, the beneficiaries of this budget are not limited to a privileged few.  This budget, by all intents and purposes, is for all the compueblanos of Zamboanga because as the Mother of this City, I will always be driven by my instinct to protect and nurture my children from the economic turmoil and ill effects of this pandemic,” Climaco said.

And because of that, she said her administration provided the needed funding to ensure surge capacity management of health personnel and health facilities. She added that P112 million are provided in the budget for Covid-10 contact tracing programs, and P14.7 million as additional aid to all barangays for Covid-19 related activities of their Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams; and P358 million for drugs and medicines, which includes P 200 million for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines.

Climaco said there is also P42 million for the “Medicare Para Sa Masa Program” to increase PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insurance Corporation) coverage and number of sponsored members from 8,900 beneficiaries to 11,823; and P100 million for construction and rehabilitation of hospitals and health centers plus P110 million for the construction of multi-purpose buildings and P11 million more for the construction of emergency quarantine facilities. 

The mayor said the local government continues to provide monthly allowances to about 7,812 public school heads and teachers, and also 1,878 members of the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection. “This is a simple token and in recognition of the valuable support and contributions of our fellow public servants,” she said.

“Moreover, we have increased the honoraria of 460 barangay health workers, 90 barangay nutrition scholars, 350 day-care workers and 980 barangay tanods from two thousand pesos to three thousand pesos per month, since we acknowledge their courage and endless dedication in their field,” Climaco explained.

Aside from those, the Climaco administration also provides aid to non-government entities such as the Boy and Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Philippine Red Cross, Cooperatives, drug rehabilitation center, farmers and fisherfolks and even the Reception and Study Center for Children, among others; and also to national government agencies – litigation courts and national high schools and others. 

She said the budget - for the economic aspect, includes P12 million funding as utility subsidy for 6,000 registered micro, small and medium enterprises; P50 million for “Siembra Vida Program” which is intended to provide training, livelihood and caravan projects, including activities of the agri-fishery sector; and a total of P 906 million for investments in infrastructure and developmental projects. (Zamboanga Post)

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