By Brian Jules Campued
Filipino octogenarians and nonagenarians, or those who are in their 80s and 90s, are now eligible for a P10,000 monetary benefit every five years as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the expanded Centenarian Law on Monday at the Malacañan Palace.
The Republic Act No. 11982 includes all Filipinos, residing in the Philippines or abroad, to receive a cash gift upon reaching 80 years of age and every five years thereafter until the age of 95.
The current RA No. 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016 only grants a one-time cash incentive of P100,000 to centenarians, or those who reached the age of 100, along with a felicitation letter signed by the President or a posthumous plaque of recognition in case the centenarian has died.
President Marcos called the expanded law as a “homage to the Filipino trait of compassion” and shows “kind and loving care” to the elderly.
“We do, after all, stand on the shoulders of these giants,” Marcos remarked.
RA 11982 also creates an Elderly Data Management System to identify the senior citizens eligible to avail of the benefits of the expanded law.
“But they deserve more than cash in an envelope. What they should get is a support infrastructure that every society owes to its greying population. There were already close to 10 million seniors two years ago…but as this demographic enlarges, the societal facilities that attend to them should be expanded as well,” he added.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez praised the President for signing the measure as it “embodies the Marcos administration’s profound acknowledgment of the invaluable contributions and sacrifices of the elderly demographic.”
“RA 11982 stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to honoring their indelible contributions and safeguarding their well-being,” Romualdez said in a statement.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian likewise lauded the signing of the law, adding that it provides recognition of the seniors’ valuable contributions to society.
“The enactment of the measure is a tangible expression of our commitment to enhancing the well-being of our senior citizens and reflects our collective dedication to building a society that honors and supports every generation,” Gatchalian stated.
On the other hand, Ako Bicol Party-list representative and chair of the House Appropriations Committee Elizaldy Co called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to find ways to fund the implementation of the new law.
Rep. Co added that the unprogrammed funds can also be tapped with authorization from the DBM.
Further, the lawmaker called on the Philippine Statistics Authority, the National Commission of Senior Citizens, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development to include Filipinos aged 59 and older in the database for the Elderly Data Management System.
“This way, those in the PhilSys National ID database who are about to become seniors will be automatically added to the Elderly Data Management System. It would be highly inefficient if the system will have separate registrations every time a citizen turns 60, 80, 85, 90, and 95,” he explained. – avds
