Gasataya Inaugurates Newly Improved Senior Citizen Center

Mayor Greg Gasataya led Monday the inauguration of the newly improved Senior Citizen Center at the annex building of the Bacolod City Government Center, reaffirming the city’s commitment to providing accessible, compassionate, and comprehensive services for Bacolod’s elderly population.

Addressing members of various senior citizens’ organizations, Gasataya said that as the city’s “VIPs,” senior citizens no longer need to travel from one office to another to access government services. The new center serves as a one-stop hub for their essential needs.

“We established this Senior Citizen Center so our seniors will have a place to go. We know that they usually visit their barangay halls every day, especially when concerns arise such as medication and other needs. Now, they can directly come here to avail themselves of the city’s services in one location without having to go from one office to another,” the mayor said.

Joining the mayor during the inauguration were Vice Mayor Kalaw Puentevella, city councilors, department heads, city executives, and barangay officials and representatives, who witnessed the opening of the upgraded facility designed to serve as a one-stop service center for senior citizens.

The center houses key services under the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), including social assistance programs such as Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS), social and ladderized pension programs, and the processing of senior citizen identification cards in accordance with Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

Health services available at the center include medical consultations, free medicines, dental check-ups and extractions, nutrition counseling, and the provision of free eyeglasses in partnership with the City Health Office. To further promote comfort and wellness, the facility is also equipped with two massage beds exclusively for senior citizens.

“We hope and pray that starting today, you will truly feel that you are special in Bacolod City. This center was built because of our senior citizens,” Gasataya added.

Beyond social and health services, the facility also promotes active aging and economic participation through livelihood programs such as food processing, handicrafts, and other income-generating activities that empower senior citizens.

The City Tourism Office likewise contributes by providing information services, organizing cultural and wellness activities, and creating a welcoming environment where senior citizens can engage, learn, and relax.

One of the beneficiaries, 81-year-old Mercedes Tortocion of Barangay Bata, expressed her appreciation for the improved accessibility and convenience of the center.

“It is a good thing that the Mayor is truly providing services for senior citizens because it makes us very happy, especially with the free services offered here. Before, I had difficulty going up and down at the Bacolod City Government Center because I have arthritis,” Tortocion narrated. “Now that there is a one-stop shop on the ground floor, I am very happy because it is much easier for us.”

The establishment of the Senior Citizen Center fulfills one of Mayor Gasataya’s campaign commitments and was implemented through Executive Order No. 1.

Puentevella emphasized that the significance of the center extends beyond the building itself.

“Our grandmothers and grandfathers now have a new home. But in the end, it is not just the structure that matters. What is truly important is the relationship and companionship between our senior citizens and our local government,” he said.

During the ceremony, Gasataya also announced that senior citizens aged 65 and above who are not receiving any social pension, whether from local or national government programs, will receive 10 kilograms of rice every month for four months beginning this week.

The holistic initiative reflects the city’s enduring gratitude and unwavering commitment to caring for the generation that helped build Bacolod, ensuring that its senior citizens receive the support, dignity, and recognition they deserve in their later years.* (Bacolod City Communications Office text & photos)