Lobregat gifts elderlies with health insurance
Lilia Javier Salaran, 104 years old, shows bliss and delight as she poses with Mayor Celso Lobregat and Councilors Nonong Guingona, Eddie Saavedra, Rey Candido and City Social Welfare Officer Francisco Barredo. Lola Lilia, who was born on June 14, 1905, was the oldest senior citizen to attend the launching program of the Filipino Elderly Week at the City Coliseum Thursday. (JOEY BAUTISTA)
As a show of recognition and gratitude to the contributions of the senior citizen sector to the city of Zamboanga, Mayor Celso Lobregat has announced the enrolment of uninsured members of the city’s Federation of Senior Citizens Association with the Philhealth insurance program.
Lobregat made the announcement to the delight of some 1,000 senior citizens during the launching program of the Elderly Filipino Week (EFW) celebration October 1 at the City Coliseum.
“All those who are here and not yet members or beneficiaries of the Philhealth, we will insure you with our Philhealth insurance program,” the mayor declared in his message, as he requested Philhealth staff present during the program to gather information and details of the prospective enrolees.
Before proceeding to the coliseum Thursday morning, Lobregat requested Venus Giron, Philhealth’s Social Insurance Officer for Membership to attend the EFW launching ceremony for the conduct of intake for senior citizens for possible enrolment with the city government’s expanded Philhealth insurance program.
For the past few days, the mayor has been distributing Philhealth insurance cards to beneficiaries that include the indigents, urban poor members, retired barangay health workers, child health workers, persons with disabilities and other sectors in line with the expanded health insurance program of the city.
By the end of this year, the city targets a total of 24,000 beneficiaries including the 10,000 members from two organized groups.
The Elderly Filipino Week celebration runs from Oct. 1 to 7 and forms part of the Zamboanga Hermosa Festival. The city government through the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and the Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines-Zamboanga Chapter are jointly spearheading the different activities lined up for the week.
The launching program Thursday was preceded by a motorcade around the city streets. Other activities include free medical and dental services for senior citizens, presentation of evolution of dances and Filipino costumes, barangay and district field office day, religious activities including a thanksgiving mass, tour within the city, participation in the Pink October Walk, 2nd WMSU citywide Matematika y Statistica Latina Contest and the culminating program to be held at the Hacienda de Palmeras on Oct. 7.
Meanwhile, the presence of 104 year old Lilia Javier Salaran of Sto. Niño, brought inspiration to many including Mayor Lobregat and the members of the City Council. Lobregat, Guingona, Candido and Saavedra gifted Lola Lilia with cash tokens in recognition of her contributions to the city.
Present during the launching program at the coliseum were Councilors Nonong Guingona, Rey Candido and Eddie Saavedra, City Social Welfare Officer Francisco Barredo, representatives from the Zamboanga City medical Center, and Philhealth staff led by Ms. Giron. (Sheila Covarrubias)