New senior citizens group may not be accredited
It seems that the application for accreditation of the Federation of Senior Citizens of the Philippines Western Visayas Region (FSCPWVR)- Iloilo City Chapter will pass a rocky road as it seeks approval from the Sangguniang Panglungsod.
Councilor Erlinda Liberiaga, chair of the committee on senior citizens of the City Council, said the FSCPWVR-Iloilo City Chapter City furiously accused Resurrecion Saavedra of using the association for political purposes and to solicit funds from the different sectors.
Liberiaga made her statement during the deliberation of her committee report on the application for accreditation of the FSCPWVR-Iloilo City Chapter.
At first, she wanted to pass a resolution denying the group's application, but she was prevented by her fellow councilors as another group under Leonora Mosquera is also applying for accreditation. Mosquera's application was channeled through Majority Floor Leader Eduardo Peñaredondo.
Liberiaga described Saavedra's group as a "disgruntled group" and a break-away group of the original association recognized by the city. Saavedra used to be a member of the Federation of Senior Citizens of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter under Mosquera.
For unclear reasons, Saavedra later formed his own group and named it as Federation of Senior Citizens of the Philippines Western Visayas Region-Iloilo City Chapter.
They only added the word Western Visayas Region to their group to distinguish them from the original senior citizen association headed by Mosquera, which is called as Federation of the Senior Citizens of the Philippines-Iloilo City Chapter.
Liberiaga angrily told the body that Saavedra is working for their accreditation because the city government has already allocated funds for the elderly association. Recently, P600,000 was released for the construction of the senior citizen office in Molo.
The councilor said Mosquera's group is the one recognized by the city government. They belong to the group of Mr. Roberto Baylen. The group existed since 1982.