FINANCIAL resources do not measure how a person becomes responsible and determined to survive in this world.
In fact, there are a lot of people who lack financially but are willed to change their fate regardless of age even the most vulnerable sector in the society which are the elderly.
Before, only those who had GSIS, SSS and Philippine Veteras Association Office (PVAO) coverage received pension.
These days, the government provides social pension to indigent senior citizens amounting to P500 as provided under the Republic Act No. 9994.
This is true when Aida A. Geacanida, 77 years of age, received her quarterly social pension amounting to P1,500 on July 7, 2016.
“Kabalo man ko mag budget,bakal ko naman bugas kag sud-an (I know how do budget. I buy rice and viand),” she said.
This is the first time she availed of her pension via door- to –door distribution.
Lola Aida can be seen selling mangoes and santol beside Iloilo City National High School along with other vendors.
She lives in Sto. Nino , Arevalo and has three sons and five daughters.
Her husband died because of liver disease leaving her on her own. Her son and daughters got married and lived separately. They visit her but not all the time.
Being a sidewalk vendor has been her source of income for many years even wayback when her husband was alive.
Her mangoes and chicos costs P5 per plastic. She said that the fruits are all sold during classes.
Every 3 a.m. , she would go to the market to buy bags of mangoes and chicos then she would proceed beside ICNHS riding a traysikad to put up her own stand and go home at 5p.m. in the afternoon when her mangoes are all sold.
Basically, she consumes her P1,500 pension by using P1000 to buy those mangoes as capital and P500 to buy her kilos of rice and her viand.
She also performs hilot to increase her income. Lola Aida is very happy because of the Social Pension Program. It helps her a lot.
“Makabulig gid ni sa amon nga mga tigulang, kapigado gid subong ,” she added./dswd6/Valen Mae Sombiro