COTABATO CITY—The Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (Osca) of Kidapawan City honored and recognized four centenarians this year as part of the local government’s recognition and assistance program.
Osca honored the centenarians and other senior citizens from the city as the country observed from September 25 to October 1 the Elderly Filipino Week with the theme “Pagkilala Sa Kakayahan, Ambag At Paglahok ng Nakakatanda sa Lipunan”.
On Monday the office of Mayor Joseph Evangelista announced that among the four elders, Cenon Ordona was the oldest at 105 years old.
Ordona was born on April 12, 1912. He is currently residing with his children and grandchildren in Barangay Poblacion, Kidapawan City.
Another centenarian, Teofilo Cayme, is 101 years old, also of the same village. At 102 years old, Remedios Barzaga, born on January 17, 1917, still has vivid memories of her life on earth.
Also recipient of the recognition and financial assistance from the local government was Faustina Costelo, 102, born in February 1915.
Aside from the assistance from the LGU, the centenarians each received P100,000 cash from the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The elders took home grocery items as a gift from Osca.
Meanwhile, centenarians in Palawan are looking forward to receiving benefits with the recent approval of an ordinance providing them cash gifts and other incentives.
Authored by Board Member Cherry Pie Acosta, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved the “Palawan Centenarian Ordinance of 2017” on Tuesday, according to a statement from the office of Provincial Information Officer Gil Acosta Jr.
The ordinance provides a one-time grant of P10,000 to elderly people who are 100 years old and above, and P2,000 each year as birthday cash gift. The fund will be taken from the DSWD as included in the General Appropriations Act.
A plaque of recognition will also be awarded to the living centenarian to honor their long-standing contributions to their families and communities.
The statement said the ordinance showed Palawan gives importance to senior citizens and the sustainable development of the Filipino culture and values.
In an earlier interview, Acosta added the ordinance is based on the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 10868, which honors and grants additional benefits and privileges to Filipino centenarians.
The implementation of the ordinance will be led by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office in coordination with the Osca and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of the 23 towns in Palawan.
Acosta added that, under Section 1, Paragraph D of RA 9994, the provision of additional cash incentives “will encourage the centenarians’ families and their communities to reaffirm the valued Filipino tradition of caring for the senior citizens”.