To ensure a dignified burial to the elderly and to all indigent constituents, the city government of Valenzuela increased financial assistance for grieving families.

Mayor REX Gatchalian ordered an additional of P2,000 on burial assistances for both the elderly and indigent constituents through Executive Order No. 2015-205, Series of 2015.

The order effectively increased financial aid for the family of a deceased elderly to P7,000 while those of an indigent to P5,000. The mayor’s move amended welfare assistance stipulated by Ordinance No. 61, Series of 2014 prescribing a burial assistance worth P5,000 for the elderly and P3,000 for indigents before.

Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) head Dr. Pablo Marcelo said that to qualify for the assistance, the deceased senior citizens and indigent constituents must be bonafide residents of Valenzuela City as reflected on the death certificate. He further noted the elderly must be a registered member of OSCA and the claimant must surrender the OSCA –Valenzuela City ID or Certificate of Indigency not later than three months from the date of death of the deceased member.

The official also said that a duly registered member of OSCA – Valenzuela City or indigent constituent may be given burial assistance, regardless of the following: cremated in or outside Valenzuela City; buried outside Valenzuela City; cremated and buried outside Valenzuela City.

Mayor REX announced the increase during the Anti-Illegal Gambling Summit at the Valenzuela City Astrodome on February 21. The city government has begun cracking down on illegal gambling in Valenzuela, particularly sakla, a card game popular during wakes with the creation of Task Force on Illegal Gambling.

“Effective March 1, ang pamahalaang lungsod ng Valenzuela, dadagdagan ‘yung abuloy na ibinibigay sa mga pamilyang namamatayan. Kung dati-rati sa ngalan ng pamahalaang lungsod ay nagbibigay tayo ng tatlong libo sa namatayang non-senior citizen, gagawin po nating limang libo yan. Para sa mga senior citizen na namamatay, dati-rati ay limang libo, ngayon ay gagawin nating pitong libo,” Mayor REX said during the summit.

Mayor REX also said that the Offices of Representatives WIN Gatchalian and WES Gatchalian also provide burial assistance. “So kung iisipin ninyo, napalitan na natin ‘yung mga inaambag ng mga saklaan na ‘yan,” the mayor reasoned out.