𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐲

An increase in the annual financial subsidy nears as the 20th Davao City Council on Tuesday approved on second reading the ordinance raising the aid from P1,500 to a maximum of P3,000.

The ordinance amending Ordinance No. 0954-22, once finalized on third reading, will provide greater support to elder residents in the city.

Councilor Pilar Braga, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, in a media interview said that the maximum increase of P3,000 will depend on the availability of government funds.

“The ordinance is allocating P3,000 as an annual subsidy for our qualified senior citizens. That’s the ceiling, depending on the availability of the funds of the government because we have sectors that also have some benefits,” she said.

She said increasing the subsidy is a step toward easing the financial burden of senior citizens.

“Kahit konti lang at least nakakatulong naman (Even if it's just a little, at least it helps) We are not stopping there, as long as our income increases we would also would like to increase and add more to the benefits that we’re giving our senior citizens and other sectors,” she said.

The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) aims to give the P1,500 subsidy to a total of 168,799 senior citizens in the city.

From October 2024 to May 2025, a total of 141,544 seniors have already received financial aid, while 27,255 remain on the distribution list.

Braga said the ordinance will officially take effect once the Mayor signs it into law. CIO

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Davao City Council approves establishment of City College

By: KATH M. CORTEZ

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The local city council approved on Tuesday the establishment of the City College of Davao (CCD) to cater to the less privileged which is targeted to open in August.

The council approved the resolution under suspended rules which was certified as urgent by City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and as compliance with the requirements set by the Department of Education.

The City College’s location will be at the Alternative Learning Center building at the back of Teodoro Palma Gil Elementary School along Quirino Avenue.

It offers five courses: Bachelor of Special Needs Education (BSNEd), Bachelor of Technical-Vocational Teacher Education (BTVTEd), Bachelor of Physical Education (BPEd), Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BS Entrep), and Bachelor of Arts in English or Filipino.

The college targeted 1,000 working students in four senior high schools such as the Davao City National High School, Sta. Ana National High School, Crossing Bayabas National High School, and Bangoy National High School.

But the CCD still needs to source its budget outlay of P100 million.

Councilor Pilar Braga, the proponent of the resolution, said the approval of the resolution did not make it on time for the Council’s deliberation of its supplemental budget last year.

“The supplemental budget is crafted September to October therefore, the consideration for the CCD’s budget was not included,” said Councilor Braga.

Mayor Duterte-Carpio certified the resolution as urgent in December.

The mayor said that of the P100 million budget, P50 million will be allocated to the construction of the college building, while P35 million will go to the hiring and staffing of the college faculty.

Braga said the mayor will take on the facilitation of the budget.

The councilor added that they can still include the budget in the next Supplemental Budget this year. 

(davaotoday.com)