Cagayan de Oro City — Francisco E. Opalla Sr, a 100 year old of Barangay Lumbia this city, widow with five children experienced financial problem for his medication particularly his maintenance in high blood pressure and rheumatism. He has difficulty in walking and cannot stand for a long time.
After his wife died in 2010, Francisco was accompanied by his younger sister Mamerta Opalla. Since then, her sister is the one who accompanies him, the one preparing his food, medicines and in his scheduled medical checkup. “ Naglisud gayod ko sa pagkamatay sa asawa ni Francisco kay gawas sa akong kaugalingon nga pamilya, gi apil pud sya nako ug atiman kay wala nagayod mobantay niya( when his wife died in 2010, I am a having hard time taking care of him, because I also have my own family to take care of, but since nobody will accompany him, so I volunteered)”, Mamerta said.
When Francisco suffers from high blood pressure and severe arthritis, his doctor advised him to visit the clinic every month and to maintain several medicines. “ nag problema gayod ko sa dihang nag sugod na iyang high blood ug rayuma kay daghan kayo geresita ang doctor sa iya ug dili igo akong kwarta e palit (I am having a problem when he suffers high blood and rheumatism, because his physician prescribed lots of medicines and I do not have enough money to buy)”, Mamerta added.
Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 was approved; it covers all senior citizens to receive a monthly pension of P500 from DSWD Social Pension. Since it was approved by the President, many Filipinos are benefiting this law, which includes Francisco Opalla.
To date, for this year 2015 the government has allocated P5.962 billion to benefit some 939,609 indigent senior citizens aged 65 and above nationwide.
In 2013, Francisco officially started receiving his DSWD social pension.“ Nagpasalamat gayod ko sa atong Presidente Aquino pinaagi sa DSWD Social Pension nga diin dako kayo ug natabang sa atong mga senior citizens ( I am thankful to our President Aquino through DSWD Social Pension, it really helps a lot to all Senior Citizens)”, Francisco shared.
There are one thousand three hundred forty one senior citizens are receiving their pension regularly in Cagayan de Oro City. “ Malipayon kayo ko, nga ang atong gobyerno nabati ug nasabtan nila ang paningahanglunon sa mga pobre nga filipino, labi nagayod katong gipang abandoner na (I am grateful, that our government feels and understands the needs of all poor Filipinos most especially the indigent senior citizens who mostly neglected or perhaps abandoned, I owe this to DSWD Social Pension)”, Francisco concluded.
Written by Luis T. Arquiza, DSWD