Photo from the Manila City Hall Reporters' Association (MACHRA)/MANILA BULLETIN
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna- Pangan highlighted the milestones achieved by her administration during her first State of the City Address (SOCA) on Tuesday, July 11. The city's first lady mayor reported that over 180,000 senior citizens in the city continue to receive their monthly allowances, birthday cakes, food, and medical supplies from the city government. Hundreds of millions of monthly allowances were also distributed to 14,735 single parents and 35,000 persons with disabilities (PWDs). At least 3,000 Manilenyos, including senior citizens and PWDs, were also given job opportunities through the Manila- Public Employment Services Office's (PESO) monthly job fairs. The city executive chief also took pride in launching her program “Kalinga sa Maynila (Pulong-Pulong sa Pagtulong)” as she envisions a city where each resident is given access to basic services. The program aims to reach out to all communities in the city through weekly or twice-a-week fora in different barangays. “Sa pakikipag-usap sa ating kababayan, layon ang direktang pagdulog ng tao sa pamahalaan. Nagsisilbi itong daan upang maiparating nila ang kanilang mga obserbasyon, suhestiyon,  hinaing at reklamo kung meron man (Our goal in talking to our locals is for people to approach the government directly. It serves as a channel for them to voice out their observations, suggestions, grievances and complaints if any),”  the mayor said. “Ito ang nagbibigay pagkakataon na lahat ay mapaglingkuran ng iba’t-ibang tanggapan ng pamahalaang-lokal… isang mahusay na paraan upang agad-agad ay  matugunan at maibigay ang mga pangangailangan ng mga tao doon mismo sa kanilang pamayanan.. upang ipadama ang katuparan ng pangako na ihatid ang serbisyo diretso sa tao (This gives everyone the opportunity to be served by various local government offices... a good way to immediately meet and provide the needs of the people right there in their community... to feel the fulfillment of our promise to deliver service directly to the people),” she also said. Over P3 million worth of livelihood assistance was also distributed to thousands of small business owners in the city through Kalinga sa Maynila and Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged (TUPAD) programs. Meanwhile, around 20,000 students from the city-run universities, Universidad de Manila and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), benefit from a monthly allowance worth P1,000 each. More than 4,000 elementary and junior high school students and 6,000 senior high school students from public schools in Manila were also provided with financial aid through the city’s educational assistance program. They also accepted uniforms, bags, and school supplies apart from the subsidies. The mayor thanked Vice Mayor Yul Servo, the Manila City Council, the six congressmen in the city, and the residents of Manila who helped and supported her administration to accomplish the goals and objectives for the city. Lacuna-Pangan vowed to implement in the coming years more programs that will address the needs of the marginalized sectors. She also cited the awards and recognition received by the city government for its outstanding performance in the aspects of tourism, education, health, environment, finance, and business.