Senior citizens, upon reaching 80 years old and every five years thereafter will be getting P10,000 under the newly signed expanded Centenarian Law.
Republic Act 11982 expanded the coverage of RA 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016, entitling elderly Filipinos aged 80-95 years old to the cash gift.
Under the expanded law, aged 100 years old will still receive a cash gift of P100,000, retaining the provision stated in the previous Centenarian law.
“The expansion of the coverage of the Centenarians Act is a homage to the Filipino trait of compassion, and in our culture, none are showered with more kind and loving care than our elderly,” President Ferdinand Marcos said during the signing of the law, Monday, February 26.
“We do, after all, stand on the shoulders of these giants,” the President added.
Imelda Dacillo, National Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines executive vice president said it is “a dream come true” to all the senior citizens.
Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes, Senior Citizen partylist and chair of the House Committee on Senior Citizen, said the funding of the new law can be taken from the unprogrammed funds of the 2024 General Appropriations Act, since the 2024 national budget is in place.
The National Commission of Senior Citizens under the Office of the Vice President is the implementing agency of the new law.
The Philippine Statistics Authority along with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Information and Communications Technology will establish an Elderly Data Management System to easily register and identify seniors-beneficiaries.
It can be noted the Senate approved the bill on the third and final reading last September 25, 2023.
Senator Imee Marcos, who sponsored the bill said this will aid senior citizens to afford basic necessities and be an inspiration to further prolong and live beyond a century.
Epifania Sagayno, Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office operations head said the number of elderly aged 80 years old and above is still under verification.
“We still have to consolidate it, since our data will be per district,” Sagayno said.
File Photo: Bing Gonzales
