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‘Public transportation would benefit man’amko’
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Posted on Nov 27 2008
A public transportation system, preferably a bus, would be a big help to the CNMI’s senior citizens, according to director Howard Macaranas of the Office on Aging.
Macaranas brought up the idea as he was trying to figure out the challenges being faced by senior citizens “especially in this current economic crisis.”
“I’m not proposing but just letting the leadership realize the need for public transportation,” Macaranas said.
He said this would be beneficial to the elderly and will save a lot of money for the government.
“The aging population is increasing in numbers,” he said.
There are over 300 senior citizens in the CNMI who avail of the Office on Aging’s services.
Macaranas said the Legislature must start thinking about making public transport a reality on Saipan.
A mass transport, he said, will make life for many people on Saipan easier.
“Everybody can ride. The man’amko can go with the students. They will be much safer because bus stations will be put up,” he said.
He said this would also lessen cars on the road as well as save money for car owners because some of them would be availing of the rides instead of using their personal cars.
This would also seen to save spaces in parking lots.
“A taxi cannot carry everybody,” he said.
Macaranas stressed that whenever there is a gathering for the man’amko, government money is spent in transporting them.
At present, the Office on Aging owns nine vehicles: a bus, four vans and four smaller ones.
Meanwhile, another company, Wushin Corp., has been added to the list of Office on Aging donors, with a $1,000 gift in time for Thanksgiving.
Wushin director Sung Soo Lim and staff Josie Villanueva and Jun Patawaran turned over the check Wednesday to Man’amko Advisory Council president Frank Reyes and treasurer Ana Nakatsukasa in the presence of man’amko program coordinator Walter Manglona and Macaranas.
For the first time also, LaoLao Bay Golf Resort treated the man’amko to a dinner party on Tuesday.
Rotary Club also hosted them to a luncheon and gift giving party on Tuesday, an event the Rotarians have been doing every year in the spirit of Thanksgiving.
Fiesta Resort and Spa also treated them to a luncheon on Nov. 18.
