Senior citizens in Mangaldan no longer need to visit the Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affairs (OSCA) in person to apply for a senior citizen ID or purchase booklet, reducing their risk of heat stroke amid the rising temperatures.

Instead, they can assign a representative or request assistance from their barangay’s Senior Citizen Association president to process their documents on their behalf.

“As much as possible, stay foot nalang muna sila. Hayaan nalang muna nila ang mga president nila na mag-process,” Ruben Reside, OSCA-Mangaldan Head, said.

For seniors who still prefer to go to OSCA personally, officials advise them to visit early in the morning to avoid exposure to extreme heat.

Caridad Aquino, 65, a resident of Barangay Buenlag, chose to go to OSCA herself while heading to the market.

“Maganda ‘yun kaya lang malayo din ang bahay ng president namin tapos may pupuntahan din ako sa palengke kaya ako nalang muna,” Aquino said.

According to OSCA, there are over 13,000 senior citizens in the municipality, and so far, no cases of heat stroke or heat exhaustion among them have been reported.