The national government has set aside another P109 million to pay for the P100,000 cash gift of 1,090 Filipinos who will turn a century old next year, an opposition lawmaker said on Saturday.
“The fresh funding is already in the budget of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in the proposed General Appropriations Act for 2019 that we passed,” said Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr., House appropriations committee member, as he applauded all centenarians for “lives well lived.”
As of Aug. 31, the DSWD has awarded P468.8 million in cash to 4,688 Filipinos who turned 100 years old since the passage of the Centenarians Act in 2016, according to Campos.
Under the law, every Filipino who reaches 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, is entitled to a P100,000 one-time cash gift, a letter from the President of the Philippines congratulating the centenarian for his or her longevity, and a plaque of recognition.
The entitlements are on top of other rewards and benefits that centenarians may receive from their local governments.
“In Makati, for instance, the city government has been paying tribute to every centenarian with a one-time P100,000 gift and a plaque of recognition since 2013—long before the passage of the Centenarians Act,” Campos, a deputy minority leader, said.
Thus, Makati residents who turn 100 years old actually receive a one-time cash gift of at least P200,000–P100,000 from the national government through the DSWD plus P100,000 from the city said Campos.