DSWD: No funds yet for centenarians’ cash incentives

Centenarians are now entitled to receive a tax-free cash incentive of P100,000 from the national government.

However, it is most likely that centenarians will have to wait a little bit longer to enjoy the cash gift as no funds have yet been allocated for the program.

Signed into law in June of this year, Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016 provides that all Filipinos who reach the age of 100, whether living in the country or abroad, will be honored with a letter of felicitation from the President aside from the cash gift. Under the law, the funding for the implementation of the program on its initial year will be taken from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

According to Artemia Degamo, social welfare officer of DSWD 7, they could not give an assurance yet that the centenarians will receive their cash incentives this year.

“Nagsige pa mi og follow-up sa central office kun kanus-a nila ma-download ang budget. Wala pa’y time period nga mahatag ang DSWD. Pero hopeful lang gyud mi nga for this year, naa na (We always make a follow-up with the central office on when they can download the budget. The DSWD could still not provide the time period. But we are hopeful that the budget would be available this year),” Degamo said.

However, Degamo assured that funding for the program will be available by next year as it is already included in their current budget proposal.

In order to be eligible under the Centenarian Act, Degamo said centenarians should have to be registered with their local government unit by presenting either a birth certificate, passport, Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) ID, marriage certificate, or any ID that shows the centenarian’s birthday.

Degamo explained that absence of any of these documents, the birth certificate of the centenarian’s children can be presented to establish his or her age.

Currently, Central Visayas has 236 recorded centenarians, with 145 coming from Cebu, 74 from Bohol and 17 from Siquijor.

In addition to the incentives, Degamo pointed out that the LGUs also have their own counterpart in honoring their centenarians such as additional cash incentives, while centenarian members of the Government Service Insurance System are also entitled to another P100,000.