ILOILO CITY—One hundred nine elderly from the city and the province of Iloilo each received P100,000 on Wednesday as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) started its distribution of cash incentives to qualified centenarians in the Western Visayas.
The recipients were among the 360 centenarian beneficiaries identified in the region. A P36-million fund was set aside by the DSWD central office for the target recipients.
DSWD-6 Regional Director Rebecca Geamala said the cash incentives are a “big help for the [elderly’s] shelter, food and clothing as they continue to live”.
While the region has the highest number of centenarian beneficiaries nationwide, the figure is a manifestation that people from the Western Visayas, especially those with centenarians, are “very good at taking care of the senior citizens”, Geamala said.
Of the 109 centenarians, 19 are from Iloilo City, while 90 reside in Iloilo province.
The municipality of Lambunao in Iloilo has the highest number of beneficiaries with 11; Sara town with nine; and Ajuy town with six.
Maria Guyos, 106, from the municipality of Pavia and the oldest among the beneficiaries, was grateful to the government for the incentive. She will use a portion of her money to buy food and keep certain amount for the future, especially when she will be hospitalized.
In the meantime, Libertad Balajadia, 105, from Barotac Viejo said vegetables have always been part of her diet. She does not take alcoholic drinks and smoke; thus, she was able to reach her age.
Geamala appealed to family members of the centenarians to use the money properly, as they were expected to handle the money on behalf of the recipients.
“They should use the money intended solely for the welfare of their centenarians,” she said. “I am thankful to all the family members for taking care of their centenarians and I do believe they will further strengthen their support to the senior citizens by using the money in a good way,” she said.
The DSWD is still working on the schedule of the distribution of cash incentives to other centenarians in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras and including those in Negros Occidental.
Geamala said the cash incentives would be personally distributed to centenarians in other provinces through their special disbursing officers.
Wednesday’s distribution was held at the ground floor of the Iloilo provincial capitol with the presence of Geamala, Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., DSWD-6 Assistant Regional Director for Administration Evangeline Felicio and DSWD-6 Head for Protective Services Unit Rosario Sanagustin.
The provision of cash incentives to centenarians is mandated under the Centenarians Act of 2016. PNA