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Austerity lifted at Aging Office this month for ‘Mes Man’amko’
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Posted on May 02 2012
Director Rose Mondala said yesterday that the federal Administration on Aging has already been informed about the Fitial administration’s decision to exempt the Office on Aging from austerity measure this May in celebration of Older Americans Month/Mes Man’amko/Maramal Tuufey.
Mondala said that the Administration on Aging, which provides funding to support the programs at the Office on Aging, has been constantly following up on the Office on Aging’s request to be exempted from austerity Fridays.
The Office on Aging wrote to Gov. Benigno R. Fitial on April 23 “to humbly request the exemption of a few crucial staff members, myself included, from the implemented austerity measures with the intent to operate five days a week during the month of May.”
The Saipan Seniors Advisory Council, through president Teresita Sorroza and vice president Maria Salinas, also wrote a separate letter with the same request last March.
Mondala, during the interview, noted that the Office on Aging on all three islands are mostly subsidized by federal funding. In fact, of the 17 staff critical for the office’s operations, only four are locally funded. Even Title V employees, she added, are also federally funded.
With the lifting of austerity at the Aging Office this month, Mondala said that the man’amko will be able stay at the Aging Center from 7:30am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday, allowing them to participate in the activities lined up for the monthlong celebration.
Prior to this, the island’s elderly could only stay at the center up to 1:30pm before they are transported back to their residence.
Additionally, the exemption will allow the staff to prepare both breakfasts and lunches for the senior citizens. The implementation of austerity in the past only allowed the center to serve lunch.
“I’m very pleased with the exemption and I know the man’amko are very happy,” Mondala told Saipan Tribune.
Although the exemption at this time applies only to May, Mondala is optimistic that the exemption will be extended to the rest of the fiscal year. “I’m really praying that this exemption will be lifted for the good of the man’amko.”
