90-year old Genoveva Bitana from San Isidro, Abra is all smile as she receives her P10,000 cash under the Expanded Centenarian Act of 2024. Her secret to long life; "Be happy and be healthy".
BANGUED, Abra (PIA) — Eleven octogenarians and nonagenarians in the province received cash grants from the government through the Expanded Centenarians Act of 2024.
The lolas and lolos received P10,000 each during the inaugural awarding of cash grants at the provincial capitol.
National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) project development officer Michelle Pimmiliw, Provincial Social Welfare Office head Myrna Bersalona, and Acting Governor Russel Bragas, a lawyer by profession, led the cash distribution.
Under the Expanded Centenarians Act of 2024, senior citizens who reached the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95, whether living in the Philippines or abroad, will be given P10,000 and P100,000 for a centenarian.
Genoveva Bitana, 90, from San Isidro, Abra, was thankful for the cash grant that she received. At her age, Ginang Bitana experiences poor eyesight and hearing loss. She said that she will use the cash for her medicines.
“Agyamanak unay apo daytoy naawat. Iserbik ti ag-agas ko daytoy lalo tatta ta hanak payen makakita,” Bitana said.
(Thank you so much for this assistance. I will use this for my medicines especially now that I have poor eyesight)
“Dakkel nga banag kasi igatang ti gatas na ket daduma nga personal nga gamit na. Dakkel met yaman ko ta awan met ti maintenance na tatta, saan met nga sickly. Vegetarian gamin isuna isu ti sekreto na ti long life,” said Perlita Bigornia- Borreta who accompanied her 90-year old mother, Leonida Bigornia from Peñarrubia, during the payout.
(This means a lot because it will be used to buy her milk and other personal items. I’m very thankful because she does not have any medicines for maintenance, she is not sick. She is a vegetarian and it’s her secret for longevity.)
NCSC project development officer Michelle Pimmiliw urged the public to read the Expanded Centenarian Act as there was misinformation on who are the qualified beneficiaries of the program. She explained that senior citizens whose age are in between the specified milestone ages under the law are not qualified.
“Agtitinnulongtayo a makipakaawat kadagiti senior citizens tayo ta very specific jay law nga dagiti agtawwen ti 80, 85, 90 ken 100 ti makaawat,” Pimmiliw said.
(Let’s help each other to inform our senior citizens because the law is very specific that only those who are 80, 85, 90 and 100 years-old will receive a cash grant.)
The Expanded Centenarian Act of 2024 was signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on February 26, 2024. For more information, you can visit the NCSC website at https://www.ncsc.gov.ph/. (JDP/CAGT-PIA CAR, Abra)
