Nonagenarians in Pangasinan town to receive P300 per month for life

LAOAC, Pangasinan, Philippines – Residents of this town who are 90 years old and above are entitled to a cash incentive of P300 per month for life, thanks to an ordinance approved by the mayor and the municipal council. 

The “longevity award and cash incentive” apply to all Lawakenians 90 years old and above regardless of their financial or economic status in life. 

The ordinance was authored by councilor Primo Lacambra, chairman of the Sangguniang Bayan’s committee on social services, and co-sponsored by councilors Rolando Ramos and Manuel Acosta.

The funding for the program will be taken from the municipal fund and will be included in the annual budget of the municipal social welfare and development office. 

As of last count, Mayor Silverio Alarcio Jr. said there are 52 Lawakenians aged 90 and above.  

Alarcio, however, said only those born, raised and still residing here would benefit from the cash incentive.

“More than the cash benefits that we would give them is the happiness they would feel (we give) them importance despite their age,” Alarcio said. 

“There is no politics here as the beneficiaries could not even go anymore to the polling precincts to vote,” he added.

Although Laoac is a fourth-class municipality with a population of more than 28,000, it wants to show an example of taking care of the elderly, Alarcio said.

Once the funds are available, Alarcio said they would personally go to the houses of the recipients to award the cash incentive and to explain how they could avail themselves of it on a monthly basis. 

“That is our unique way of showing our TLC, tender loving care,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Alarcio said the municipal council also passed a separate ordinance giving a monthly lifetime cash incentive of P500 each to national champions in sports who hail from this town. 

Alarcio recalled that in 1957, a Lawakenian, Rufino Gabot, topped the Tour of Luzon. Gabot’s feat was repeated in 1963 when Gonzalo Recodos bagged the same crown.

Gabot and Recodos would be the first beneficiaries of the cash incentive, Alarcio said.