TACLOBAN CITY — Ninety-four elderly residents of Borongan City received P10,000 each during the fourth payout of the national government’s cash gift program for octogenarians and nonagenarians held on October 15 at the multi-purpose gym in Barangay Campesao.
The beneficiaries included senior citizens aged 80, 85, 90, and 95 who celebrated their birthdays between March and June 2024, and between May and June 2025.
The cash distribution is part of the implementation of Republic Act No. 11982, or the Expanded Centenarians Act, which extends financial incentives to Filipinos reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95, in recognition of their longevity and contributions to society. The law amends Republic Act No. 10868, also known as the Centenarians Act of 2016, which initially granted cash gifts only to Filipinos who reached 100 years old.
According to Hilda Rodeles, focal person for senior citizens at the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), a total of 231 elderly beneficiaries in Borongan have already received their cash incentives since the start of the program’s rollout in March 2024.
She said the CSWDO accepts applications two to three months before an eligible senior citizen’s birthday to ensure the timely release of the benefits.
Also present during the activity were OIC-CSWD Officer Hazel Ribong, Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) head Virginia Buna, National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Regional Director Antonio Dolaota, Ian Pinangay, and several presidents of senior citizens’ associations from various barangays in the city.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
