Two centenarians receive P100K each from Capitol

CEBU, Philippines —  Two centenarians from different towns in southern Cebu received P100,000 each from the Cebu provincial government.

Governor Gwendolyn Garcia personally handed the checks to the centenarians from Argao and Boljoon on November 29, during another round of the Capitol’s Caravan of Government Services held in Dalaguete town.

Catalina Alcalde, from Barangay Sua in Argao, and Petra Ubas, from Barangay Poblacion in Boljoon, were all smiles as they received the cash aid from the Capitol.

The assistance was given as a gesture of appreciation for their long years of service and contributions to their respective communities.

Alcalde turned 100 on October 5, while Ubas reached her centenarian age on October 8.

According to Sugbo News, the Capitol’s official media arm, the two centenarians revealed that their secret to a long life is maintaining a healthy lifestyle and having deep faith in God.

Aside from the checks, the Capitol also provided them with vitamins, adult wheelchairs, and Abag Sugbo cards, which entitle them to free medical checkups and medicines at any of the 16 Capitol-run hospitals in the province.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,009 centenarians in Central Visayas have already received cash gifts from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) since the start of implementation of Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016

RA 10868 mandates the DSWD to give recognition to any Filipino citizen, residing in the country or abroad, with a cash gift of P100,000 along with the Presidential Letter of Felicitation.

Of the total number, around 77 percent or 778 of the centenarians are females, while 23 percent or 231 are males.

Cebu has the highest number of centenarians paid with 474, or 96 males and 378 females. This is followed by Bohol with 282 or 73 males and 209 females; Negros Oriental with 217 or 58 males and 159 females, and Siquijor with 36 or four males and 32 females.

According to the data, the cities of Cebu have the highest number of centenarians paid with 91 in total. This is followed by Carcar (18), and Mandaue (15) of the province of Cebu; Bayawan (19), and Dumaguete (27) in Negros Oriental; and Tagbilaran (19).

Among the common longevity factors of senior citizens are personal practices, such as good eating habits, healthy lifestyle, values, faith, walking, adequate hours of sleep, and positive disposition.

DSWD-7 regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero disclosed during the “Kukabildo Kauban ni RD Sha”, an intimate gathering of media partners, said that beginning in 2025, the implementation of RA 10868 will be fully transferred to the National Commission of Senior Citizens.

Further, DSWD also recently extended assistance to centenarians through food packs and P2,000 in cash. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also gave the centenarians five kilos of rice and a pair of slippers.

Republic Act 11916, or the Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens, that provides a 100 percent increase in the monthly stipend to help beneficiaries with the sustained price increase of various commodities, such as food, milk, medicines, vitamins, and other needs.

As of the third quarter of 2024, 293,923 poor senior citizens in the region already received P9,000 each from the DSWD-7.

DSWD-7 targets to deliver 100 percent of the increased stipend of P1,000 to 299,737 by the end of the year, which will give them a total of P12,000.00 per year.

Of the target number, provincial breakdowns are: 127,439  for Cebu, 99,490 for Bohol, 62,287 for Negros Oriental, and 10,521 for Siquijor.-