Congress OKs expanded coverage of cash gift to elderly

The P10,000 cash gift once limited to centenarians will soon be available also to senior citizens age 80, 85, 90 and 95.

The bicameral conference committee on the amendments to Republic Act No. 10868, or the Centenarians Act of 2016, successfully consolidated the Senate and House versions of measures that introduced the changes.

Its committee report on the reconciled House Bill No. 7538 and Senate Bill No. 2038 was ratified on Wednesday by both chambers on Wednesday night.

Under the present law, only those who reach the age of 100 years are entitled to a cash gift and a congratulatory letter from the President

However, many senior citizens do not reach that age. Based on the estimates by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the average life expectancy for Filipinos in 2022 was 71 years for men and 78 years for women.

A party list lawmaker on Thursday welcomed the ratification of the reconciled versions of the amendments

Senior Citizen Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes, who chairs the House committee on senior citizens, thanked the Senate panel led by Sen. Imee Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development.

“Both panels agreed to set at P10,000 the cash gift to be given to Filipino seniors within one year from when they turn 80, 85, 90 and 95. And within one year from when the senior reaches age 100, the senior would receive a P100,000 cash gift,” Ordanes said in a statement.Funding the program

Ordanes assured the public that, once the bill is enacted, Congress would “look for ways to make sure the funding source is identified to ensure its implementation.”

“It is ultimately the fiscally responsible decision to ensure the sustainability of the amendments’ funding in the coming years,” he added.

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Upon ratification of the reconciled bill, it will be sent to Malacañang for the President’s approval, he said.

Members of the bicameral conference committee also agreed on the need to establish an Elderly Data Management System.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which is tasked to handle the payment of the cash gifts, has registered its support for the expanded coverage of the benefits.

“Any type of assistance for the older segment of our population is a sign of how much we take care and value them,” Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier said.

Once enacted, it will be easier for the DSWD to implement it since most of the intended beneficiaries already have senior citizen IDs. —Jeannette I. Andrade INQ