Cebu City Council backs more aids for centenarians

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Council has expressed its full support to the proposed bill granting additional monetary benefits to the senior citizens.

House Bill No. 10647 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10868, otherwise known as the Centenarians Act of 2016.

Councilor Raul Alcoseba sponsored a resolution regarding the matter which was approved by the council Wednesday.

“This representation fully supports this amendatory bill considering the contribution of all senior citizens to nation building, and providing additional monetary benefits will give recognition and emphasis on the importance of the unquantifiable contributions of all senior citizens to the Philippines,” said Alcoseba.

Section 1 of the amendatory bill states that all Filipino centenarians who reach the age of 101 years old shall receive a cash gift in the amount of P1 million on their birthday.

Section 2 provides all Filipinos who reach the age of 80, 85, 90, and 95 shall receive a Letter of Felicitation from the President and a cash gift of P25,000.

The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) shall implement the provisions of the Act.

Section 7 states the amount necessary for the implementation of this act shall be in the general appropriations act.

The amendatory bill states that within 30 days from the effectivity of the Act, the chairperson of the NCSC shall, in consultation with the secretary of Social Welfare and Development, the secretary of the Interior and Development, secretary of Health, among others, shall promulgate the necessary guidelines and shall take the rules and regulations for the effective implementation of the Act. — GMR (FREEMAN)