The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) migrates from having a manual to digital database, under direct instructions from Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo Malapitan to provide a more efficient distribution of benefits and overall better service to senior citizens.
At present, a total of 66,034 senior citizens have registered in OSCA’s online database, representing 39.54 percent of the city’s total census of 167,000 previously-registered seniors.
According to OSCA officer-in-charge Marilyn De Jesus, the digitalization initiative aims to update and cleanse the existing database which is being used since 2014.
Malapitan emphasized the need to focus on programs for senior citizens, giving them more advantages aside from their mandated benefits.
He encouraged senior citizens to be proactive and register to receive their benefits with ease.
“Tulad po ng lagi nating sinasabi, mahalaga para sa atin ang mga senior citizens at dapat pong maramdaman nila ito sa mga programa ng pamahalaan. Kaya naman hinihikayat ko po kayo, mga lolo at lola, magparehistro po kayo para mas mabilis niyong matanggap ang inyong mga benepisyo,” he said.
The said registration can be accessed through this link: bit.ly/CaloocanSenior. OSCA also partnered with all 188 Barangays of the city to speed up the process and assist senior citizens during the registration. Jun David
During this week’s flag raising ceremony, Malapitan called on the city council to pass the ordinance granting a P500 cash gift for senior citizens on top of their birthday package.
“Sa ating konseho, sana’y maipasa na po natin ang ordinansa para sa cash gift ng ating senior citizens. Sa oras na malinis natin ang database, agad tayong magsisimula ng distribusyon,” the mayor said.
Aside from the stated benefits, senior citizens in Caloocan also have access to free wheelchair, cane and crutches as well as medical and laboratory assistance. Furthermore, the centenarians also receive cash gifts and recognition in addition to the P100,000 provided in R.A. 10868.