MANILA — Quezon City is now proud to have an additional seven new centenarians among its more than three million residents.
The city government feted its seven new centenarians during its flag-raising ceremony on Monday at the Quezon City Hall.
Among those recognized as among the city’s latest batch of 100-year-old residents is Jose Arguelles, a grandson of Dr. Jose Rizal’s youngest sibling Soledad Mercado-Quintero.
Lovingly called “Lolo Pempot” by his grandchildren, Arguelles has been a resident of Barangay Immaculate Conception since 1945.
Arguelles said he witnessed the changes and improvements of the city in the past six decades.
“Nakita namin, tumubo lahat ng bahay. Dito noong araw, ‘yang kalye ng España, bato-bato pa, hindi aspalto. Bihira pa ang auto no’n, puro kalesa. Maayos naman ‘yung naging pagbabago (We saw all the houses built. Here once upon a time, that street in España, was even rocky road, not asphalted. Automobiles were seldom then, mostly horse-drawn carts. The changes are okay though),” Arguelles said.
Arguelle’s grandson Carlos Ignacio Arguelles expressed gratitude for the recognition given to his grandfather by the city government.
“As a resident of Quezon City since 1945, he has contributed to Quezon City in terms of taxes, especially real property taxes he regularly pays. I think that by being a centenarian, he deserves a little recognition,” the younger Arguelles said.
Esterlina Pausanos, a niece of the 101-year old Rosa Pausanos, also expressed her appreciation to the city government for recognizing her aunt.
“We thank the Quezon City government, especially Mayor Herbert Bautista and Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte for the award given to our aunt, who has been living in Quezon City for over 30 years,” Pausanos said.
The other centenarians present at the ceremony were Asuncion Aguda, Amelia Borromeo, Benjamin Cucio, Juanita Garcia and Marina Molato.
There are now more than 90 centenarians living in Quezon City who each receive a PHP100,000 grant upon achieving their enviable age, a PHP1,000 monthly allowance, birthday and Christmas financial gifts from the city government.
The recognition and financial grant to the centenarians is in line with the Quezon City’s implementation of Republic Act 1086, or the “Centenarian’s Act of 2016”.
Before the implementation of the “Centenarian’s Act of 2016”, the Quezon City local government has been recognizing its centenarian residents through the grant of cash incentives since 2009.
This was done with the implementation of City Ordinance 1986-2009 as amended by City Ordinance 2542-2016.
The centenarians are also awarded plaques of recognition. (Perfecto Raymundo, Jr./PNA)
