Archival weighs OSCA ID rule review for June 19 senior cash aid

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Mayor Nestor Archival said he was willing to review Cebu City’s requirement for senior citizens to present their original Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) identification cards when claiming quarterly cash assistance.

Still, the mayor stressed that any changes must remain within the bounds of the law.

Under Executive Order (EO) No. 077, senior citizens are required to present their original OSCA IDs to claim their cash aid during the distribution of financial assistance starting June 19.

In an interview on Wednesday, June 18, Archival responded to calls from members of the Cebu City Council to relax the requirement, arguing that it could prevent legitimate beneficiaries from receiving assistance, particularly elderly residents who have lost or damaged their original IDs.

“We’ll look into that because there is a law. Every time you do something, and you deviate even a little, there are consequences,” Archival said.

“I mean, my position is that we should do what is correct. If we create a deviation just to accommodate some people and then later on we are the ones held accountable, I don’t think that is a good idea,” he added.

READ: June 19 cash aid: Council asks Archival to ease senior ID policy

Earlier, the City Council formally urged him to reconsider the requirement, arguing that it could prevent legitimate beneficiaries from receiving assistance, particularly elderly residents who have lost or damaged their original IDs.

Council seeks flexibility

During Tuesday’s regular session, Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. delivered a privilege speech asking the mayor to adopt a more practical approach for seniors whose identities could already be verified through government records.

Alcover said anti-fraud measures should not become an obstacle for qualified beneficiaries.

“The objective of the program is to help qualified senior citizens, not to punish them because of poverty, illness, or circumstances beyond their control,” he said.

The council subsequently approved Alcover’s motion requesting the executive department to review and reconsider the implementation of EO 077.

READ: Cebu City tightens senior citizen cash aid rules: What you need to know

Councilor Philip Zafra, while supporting stricter verification measures, also suggested that other government-issued identification cards could serve as alternative proof of identity.

“The purpose of the ID is to securely verify the identity, but with the advent of technology, IDs can now be manipulated. This is the very reason why the executive order was issued by the mayor,” Zafra said.

He maintained that the city could still recognize other valid government-issued IDs without compromising security.

“It is not intended to make life difficult for our senior citizens but to protect their identity,” he added.

The council later approved Zafra’s corollary motion requesting the executive department to consider accepting other government-issued IDs in lieu of the OSCA ID.

Another approved motion called for a review of the city’s roster of senior citizen beneficiaries to determine whether recipients continue to reside in Cebu City.

READ: E-fund transfer ready for Expanded Centenarians Act beneficiarie

Residency concerns raised

Presiding Officer Tomas Osmeña raised a separate issue involving the accuracy of the city’s beneficiary list.

Osmeña said stricter validation should ensure that only Cebu City residents continue receiving assistance.

“I seriously question the roster of senior citizens because I believe many of them do not live in Cebu City,” he said.

He argued that city funds intended for Cebu City residents should not benefit individuals who have already transferred residence elsewhere.

Alcover agreed that residency concerns warranted discussion, but emphasized that his immediate concern involved seniors who might fail to claim their benefits because they no longer possessed their original OSCA IDs.

“For example, akong mama nakabotar sa Pardo, nasakit siya, gibalhin sa Talisay. Namatay na akong mama. Wala na kakakuha kay dili siya ka-sign authorization, but she was part of the Cebuanos nga nagtabang sa Cebu City,” Alcover said.

(For example, my mother voted in Pardo. She got sick and moved to Talisay. She later passed away and could no longer comply with the authorization requirements, yet she had spent her life contributing to Cebu City.)

Stricter anti-fraud safeguards

EO 077, signed by Archival on June 3, tightened verification procedures for Cebu City’s quarterly financial assistance program for senior citizens.

Under the guidelines, beneficiaries must personally claim their assistance and present their original OSCA-issued identification cards. The city no longer accepts authorization letters, scanned copies, or photocopied IDs.

Seniors with lost IDs or record discrepancies must first secure replacement IDs or certifications from OSCA before claiming their benefits.

The order also directs disbursing officers to withhold payouts when discrepancies exist between the OSCA identification number and payroll records until corrections are made.

Unclaimed financial assistance automatically lapses after the 10-day payout period, while beneficiaries who fail to claim aid for three consecutive quarters without a valid justification may face temporary inactivation from the program.

The first payout under the new guidelines begins on June 19.

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