MANILA, Philippines – Taguig City has started to disburse birthday cash gifts to senior citizens in the Enlisted Men’s Barrios (EMBO), which used to be part of Makati City.

On Thursday, August 31, 270 senior citizens who celebrated their birthdays this August were given cash gifts. The amount they will receive depends on their age bracket.

• P3,000 for those 60 to 69 years old
• P4,000 for those 70 to 79 years old
• P5,000 to those 80 to 89 years old
• P10,000 to those 90 to 99 years old

According to Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, providing cash to senior citizens reflects the city’s commitment to elderly welfare programs.

“Today is proof that the City of Taguig has a program for our senior citizens. Our program in Taguig, when it’s the birthday of our senior citizens, according to the age bracket, we provide financial assistance,” Cayetano said in Filipino.

In a separate media interview on August 22, Cayetano admitted that she cannot give cakes to senior citizens in EMBO, who have been accustomed to this gesture from Makati. The Taguig mayor said that she wants the elderly to decide what they’ll do with the money.

Makati senior citizens are also granted an equivalent cash gift as those given by Taguig. On top of monetary incentives, they also get a cake from the local government of Makati.

On Thursday, Taguig launched a volunteer center on Sampaguita Street in Barangay Pembo where those who are not included in the initial list of senior citizen beneficiaries can go and have themselves listed and verified for their birthday cash gift.

The one-stop shop is also open to inquiries and applications for social services like medical assistance, burial assistance, benefits for persons with disabilities, and scholarship concerns.

Recently, Taguig also started to extend some of its programs to EMBO residents such as scholarships and distribution of school supplies to students.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that Fort Bonifacio and EMBO barangays are part of Taguig. This, however, sparked concerns among residents who are afraid of losing the benefits they have been enjoying from Makati City.  – Rappler.com

In Abby Binay’s Makati, there are free cakes but no sugarcoating