Talisay to award century-old seniors

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City Councilors Socrates Fernandez and Danilo Caballero have suggested that the city government should recognize and give awards to senior citizens living in the city who have already reached the age of 100 or more.

The City Council passed for first reading last Tuesday an ordinance "conferring the centenary senior citizens award to qualified senior citizens in the City of Talisay every October of the year."

The ordinance recognizes the rights of the elderly and their continued involvement as integral members of society as provided in Article XV Section 4 of the Constitution.

"As this special and extraordinary group of elderly Talisaynon represents the history and legacy of the city, it is fitting and appropriate to recognize and honor them with the Centenary Senior Citizens Award," the ordinance said.

Based on the 2010 estimate of the National Statistics Office, there are 8,000 Filipino centenarians nationwide or about nine Filipino centenarians in every 100,000 people.

"Elderly persons give us insights into how they perceive the aging process and its impact and how they view aging in a very positive and healthy manner," the ordinance read.

Fernandez said that while most of the senior citizens in the city are enjoying the city's disbursement of cash gifts, there is a rare number of senior citizens who have reached the "triple-digit" age.

Under the ordinance, the qualified centenary senior citizen must show any legal documents such as birth certificate or baptismal showing that he has lived for at least a century. A certification from the barangay captain must be issued as proof of residence, along with a brief story on the life of the centenary senior citizen whom recognition and honor is to be conferred.

The ordinance provides benefits and privileges to all Filipino residents of Talisay City who reach the age of 100, such as cash reward of P50,000  or  P100,000 from the city on their 100th birthday.

The ordinance was already referred to the Council committee on budget and appropriation. (FREEMAN)