The city government of Tarlac has started the distribution of the year-end benefits to the elderly here.

A total of 5,662 senior citizens received on Monday their year-end benefits, which Mayor Cristy Angeles said is her administration’s early Christmas treat in this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The distribution was held in areas designated by each village such as barangay halls. However, for elderlies who couldn’t walk from home, the benefits were delivered by barangay officials to their residences.

The beneficiaries came from 15 villages, namely Central, Cut-Cut II, Mapalacsiao, Balete, Bantog, Asturias, Lourdes, Burot, San Carlos, Sapang Tagalog, San Francisco, Atioc, Dela Paz, Armenia, and Capehan.

Angeles said the distribution of year-end benefits will continue until all the 38,000 senior citizens in the city’s 76 villages are given, in recognition of their vital contribution to society.

Aside from PHP500 cash, she said the elderly also received vitamins to boost their resistance, especially in this time of a health crisis.

Meanwhile, the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the province breached the 1,000 mark.

As of Monday, there is a total of 1,001 total confirmed cases of which 399 are on active status.

The total number of recoveries, on the other hand, reached 569 while the total number of deaths remained at 33. (PNA)