“PLEASE extend our breakfast program,” Rita Reyes of the CNMI Office on Aging asked Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang in her remarks during the proclamation signing ceremony for Older Americans Month on April 26.
The senior citizens seconded Reyes’s request with applause and laughter.
The senior citizens are receiving free breakfast for six months courtesy of Lt. Gov. Apatang. The program, which started in January, will end in June. It is not part of the CNMI Office on Aging programs but is provided by Apatang’s office.
Reyes said the breakfast program is beneficial to the manamko’s health and well-being as “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
In 1974, the Older Americans Act was extended to the Northern Marianas. The Office on Aging was then established “to serve and provide needed assistance to all senior citizens and caregivers by administering programs and activities, promoting independent living, building self-esteem, and providing opportunities for seniors to play an active role in the community.”
Today, with facilities such as a gaming center, a music room and a conference room, the manamko’ centers on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota provide senior citizens with opportunities for socializing, relaxation, and participation in a variety of programs and activities, including congregate and home delivery meals, transportation, and health screenings.
