Long queues form in Pasig City as senior citizens claim cash cards

Senior citizens of Pasig City flocked to a local elementary school on Sunday to get their cash cards from the Land Bank of the Philippines, but the release was marred by long queues.

The senior citizen cash cards -- expected to make easy the process of claiming allowances -- were released at the Bagong Ilog Elementary School on Sunday, where beneficiaries were required to physically get their cards.

"Noong una, medyo hindi masyadong maayos 'yung pilahan natin pero later on, naayos naman natin at masigurado natin na inoobserba nila 'yung social distancing at tsaka ang pagsusuot ng mask at ng face shield," PLT Catherine Deligente of the Pasig Substation 2 said in a report on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend."

FLASH REPORT: Halos magkapalit na ng mga mukha ang mga senior citizen na nakapila sa Bagong Ilog Elementary School sa Pasig City.

Ang ilan sa matatanda ay 8 am pa nakapila dito. | via @jhomer_apresto pic.twitter.com/PPVpFMrh0e

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) December 13, 2020

One of the beneficiaries, Felecita Villarin, was reported to have arrived at the venue 8:00 a.m. but received her cash card at 2 p.m. Meanwhile, others were able to receive theirs within 30 minutes.

"Mahirap. Napakahirap. Ang sakit ng tuhod ko eh," she said in the same report. Other senior citizens -- even in wheelchairs -- also proceeded to the venue to claim theirs as they said authorization letters were not being recognized to claim the cards on behalf of the beneficiaries.

"Anong purpose ng authorization kung hindi rin naman nila ire-release 'yung card," Villarin's daughter said. She was not identified in the report.

For its part, the Pasig City local government unit clarified that the release of the cards was conducted by employees of the Land Bank of the Philippines, the only personnel authorized to do so. The release was also conducted off-site, given the limited space inside the bank with physical distancing protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic. —LBG, GMA News