BONTOC, Mountain Province – Three most functional senior citizens associations in this capital town were recognized by the municipal government in celebration of the Elderly Week from Oct. 1 to 7.
Barangay Tocucan emerged as the champion in the Search for Most Functional Senior Citizens Association and received P10,000.
Caneo Barangay Senior Citizens Association came in second place with an incentive of P7,000 while the Caluttit Barangay Senior Citizens Association landed in third place and received P5,000.
The winners received their incentives from Mayor Franklin Odsey, Mayor for-a-Day Viola Okko, and Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) head Ruby Mangagley during the Senior Citizens’ Day celebration on Oct. 4 at the Bontoc Municipal Capitol grounds.
Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Araceli Shane Bayanos said part of the Senior Citizens Code of Bontoc is the Senior Citizens Incentive and Awards Program that recognizes the best performing barangay senior citizen associations by granting them incentives and awards.
Seven barangay senior citizen associations have submitted their entries this year.
The criteria in the selection of winners include projects and programs undertaken for the welfare and benefit of the members and the community; interaction and involvement with the LGU, national government agencies, private sectors and other stakeholders; clear and established policies in the government and management of the organization; and other criteria approved or deemed necessary by the committee.
The committee in charge of the program are the MSWD officer; the OSCA head; Municipal Senior Citizens Federation president; Sangguniang Bayan committee chairperson on social services or its equivalent; and zone representatives from Alab Proper, Alab Oriente, Balili, and Gonogon, Upland (Dalican, Guina-ang, Mainit, and Maligcong), Riverside (Bayyo, Talubin, Caneo and Tocucan), and central barangays (Bontoc Ili, Caluttit, Poblacion, and Samoki).
Bayanos said the program aims to encourage the elderly to plan and carry out activities for self-enhancement and community development; assist the elderly in availing of the benefits they are entitled to from government and non-government agencies and other entities; and recognize the efforts and participation of the senior citizen sector of the municipality. – Alpine L. Killa
