The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance allowing the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to collect fees with official receipt from the local government for replacement of lost senior citizens identification cards.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Elmer O. Datuin stated that the proposed measure shall cover all registered and qualified senior citizens from the different parts of the city.
Under the proposed ordinance, all senior citizens applying for replacement of their lost OSCA identification cards shall submit an affidavit of loss, lost or replacement form issued by the OSCA, an amount of P100 and authorization letter or special power of attorney if applying senior citizen cannot physically go to the OSCA.
For lost OSCA identification card, the ordinance stipulated that the same must be reported to the local OSCA and upon submission and validation of requirements, the requester shall be issued with an official receipt from the local government the amount paid for the replacement identification card.
Further, the replacement identification card shall be made available within 5 working days from the time of application for replacement.
The ordinance stipulated that it is preferred that all senior citizens who are applying for replacement of lost identification cards to personally appear at the OSCA.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) worker shall assist and ensure the immediate replacement of lost identification cards who, for reasons of infirmity, can no longer physically go to the OSCA.
The ordinance cited that the funding for the issuance of replacement identification cards shall be charged to the OSCA trust fund where payments collected from the replacement of lost OSCA identification cards shall be deposited.
Section 4, Article XV, of the Philippine Constitution stated that the family has the duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of social security.
The ordinance explained that the local government acknowledges the role of the senior citizens in their capacity in nation building and pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act 9994 otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, local government units are mandated to provide mechanisms whereby senior citizens are properly assisted, appreciated by the community as a whole and that their contributions are maximized.
A Memorandum from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) issued on January 19, 1994 stated that the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs shall issue the nationally uniform identification card to registered and qualified senior citizens.
