MANILA, Philippines- May kabuuang 12,186 centenarians ang nakatanggap ng P100,000 insentibo mula sa Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) mula taong 2017 hanggang Setyembre ngayong taon.
“This achievement serves as a testament to the nation’s unwavering commitment to honoring its elderly citizens,” ayon kay DSWD spokesperson at Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez.
Sa ilalim ng Republic Act No. 10868 o Centenarians Act of 2016, “all Filipinos at the age of 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with a letter of felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity, and a “centenarian gift” worth P100,000.”
Maliban sa cash gift, magbibigay din ang DSWD ng posthumous plaque of recognition para sa mga namayapang centenarian, maaaring tanggapin ng malapit niyang kamag-anak na buhay pa rin.
“The Centenarian Program represents our respect for our elderly and acknowledges the invaluable contributions they have made to society over the decades,” ani Lopez.
Inulit ni Lopez na para makakuha ng benepisyo sa ilalim ng batas, ang mga kamag-anak ng centenarians ay dapat na magsumite ng mga pangunahing dokumento gaya ng birth certificate at Philippine passport sa Lungsod o sa Municipal Social Welfare Office at o kaya naman ay sa Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) sa kanilang lokalidad.
Kung ang dalawang dokumento ay hindi available, anuman sa pangunahing Identification Cards na ipinalabas ng OSCA, Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and Social Security System (SSS); driver’s license; Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) license; at Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Voter’s ID, ay tatanggapin.
“In cases that the said identification documents are not available, the centenarian or their family members can submit any secondary documents such as marriage certificate, birth certificate of a child borne by the centenarian, among others,” ayon pa rin kay Lopez.
Samantala, nangako naman ang DSWD na makikipag-ugnayan sa local government units at National Commission on Senior Citizens para pagbutihin ang pagpaplano at pagba-budget para sa mas epektibong implementasyon ng batas, alinsunod sa pagkilala sa kontribusyon o naging ambag ng centenarians sa nation-building.
Nakasaad pa rin sa batas na ang centenarians ay makatatanggap ng plaque of recognition at cash incentive mula sa kani-kanilang lungsod o municipal government “in appropriate ceremonies” bilang karagdagan sa letter of felicitation at P100,000 centenarian gift mula DSWD. Kris Jose
