CITIZEN JOURNALISM

Covid-19 Social Assistance for the Elderly Cut by 50 Percent

by Hijrah Lahaling

Gorontalo, Partnership – The elderly (elderly) are one of the groups most vulnerable to being affected by Covid-19 apart from other vulnerable groups, namely children, women and people with disabilities. During the pandemic, the government must make efforts to save and restore the economy, namely to protect these vulnerable groups. By providing Social Assistance with a fast, even and targeted distribution mechanism. However, in reality, the distribution of social assistance in the form of cash to the elderly in Gorontalo City is still problematic. Apart from cuts of up to 50 percent, some elderly people do not even receive any assistance at all.

Zainun (60 years old), complained that cash social assistance had been cut by 50 percent without his knowledge. "The money I was supposed to get was IDR 600,000, but what reached me was only IDR 300,000, and I don't know the reason why it was deducted," said Zainun, a resident of Sipatana District, Gorontalo City, (Thursday/14/10/2021).

Zainun's mother is the head of a family whose husband died. His daily work as a tailor means his income is quite smooth, but during the Covid-19 pandemic his income dropped drastically. Finally, for the time being we cannot receive orders as usual.

Social assistance cuts were also experienced by Ma Ice (63 years). "I was initially the recipient of Covid-19 social assistance in the form of cash for 4 months amounting to IDR 600,000, only in June the assistance was cut by 50% to IDR 300,000. Then in July my status was transferred to PKH where the assistance was in the form of basic necessities, namely 15 liters of rice, 15 eggs, 1 kg of sugar and 1 can of fish. Furthermore, 2 months later I was asked to choose one type of basic food. "So I prefer rice, it turns out the rice is not of good quality, smells and rots quickly when cooked." Call Ma Ice, a laundry worker.

This is different from what happened to Grandma Hauriah, as she is known, who was an elderly woman who lived with her grandchildren. His daily job is as a laundry worker. Hauriah's grandmother is a PKH participant from East Bulotadaa sub-district, Jalan Membramo, Gorontalo City. When interviewed, Hauriah's grandmother requested that her status as a recipient of PKH assistance be transferred to recipient of Covid-19 social assistance, because she heard that her neighbor had received cash assistance every month for 6 consecutive months.

"I actually hope to be registered as a recipient of Covid-19 social assistance, because it turns out that PKH assistance is received once every 4 months, I thought it was received every month. This was also experienced by my grandson who received PKH assistance worth IDR 730,000 which was also received once every 4 months, if I received basic necessities in the form of rice, coconut oil, granulated sugar, eggs and canned fish. My daily needs are not met, because I don't get the assistance every month."

The type of social assistance in Gorontalo Province is Direct Regional Food Assistance (BLPD), according to Governor's Regulation Number 10 of 2020. The targets of BLPD are bentor drivers, motorbike taxis, transport drivers, casual workers for small traders (MSMEs), both at the provincial and district/city levels. The elderly are not mentioned as targets who are also entitled to BLPD.

"We RWs are only asked to register data on all residents who live in our sub-district. Once collected, we forward the data to the sub-district, then from the sub-district, forward it to the Gorontalo City Social Service as the agency responsible for distributing social assistance, the sub-district officer then verifies the data that has been sent to ensure whether the proposed residents are entitled to social assistance, which determines the recipient criteria is the Social Service as the agency given the authority and as an extension of the Gorontalo City Government." Said Mr. Romi Abdullah, as Head of RW Sipatana District, Gorontalo City, Thursday/28/10/2021

"Previously there were 102 BLT recipients, then it was reduced to 96 families, because they were considered to have received other assistance, namely PKH (Family Hope Recipients), so they were considered double. Cash received from April to July amounted to Rp. 600,000, then the next stage, namely from August to December, experienced a decrease of 50%, namely Rp. 300,000, the rules are based on the Instructions of the President of the Republic of Indonesia." he continued.

Meanwhile, confirmation efforts were made to the Head of the Gorontalo Regency Social Service, 12 October 2021, who said that "apart from BLPD, in the Village there is also BLT as an initiative of the Village Government, this assistance is prioritized for the transportation sector, namely bentor brothers, then small traders, and other poor people. For the elderly, it is not explicitly mentioned as KPM in the regulations, but the elderly still receive social assistance."