A total of 12,186 centenarians have received PHP100,000 incentives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) from 2017 up to September this year, Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez said on Tuesday.

“This achievement serves as a testament to the nation’s unwavering commitment to honoring its elderly citizens,” Lopez, also DSWD spokesperson, said in a news release.

Under Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016, all Filipinos at the age of 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with a letter of felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity, and a “centenarian gift” worth PHP100,000.

Aside from the cash gift, the DSWD provides a posthumous plaque of recognition for a deceased centenarian, which may be received by her or his nearest surviving relative.

“The Centenarian Program represents our respect for our elderly and acknowledges the invaluable contributions they have made to society over the decades,” Lopez said.

Lopez reiterated that to avail of the benefits under the law, relatives of the centenarians must submit primary documents such as the birth certificate and Philippine passport to the City or Municipal Social Welfare Office and/or to the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in their localities.

If the two documents are not available, any one of the primary Identification Cards issued by OSCA, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and Social Security System (SSS); driver’s license; Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) license; and Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Voter’s ID, is also accepted.

“In cases that the said identification documents are not available, the centenarian or their family members can submit any secondary documents such as marriage certificate, birth certificate of a child borne by the centenarian, among others,” Lopez said.

The DSWD vowed to closely coordinate with the local government units and the National Commission on Senior Citizens to improve the planning and budgeting for more effective implementation of the law, in pursuit of honoring the contributions of the centenarians in nation-building.

The law also provides that centenarians shall receive a plague of recognition and a cash incentive from their respective city or municipal government “in appropriate ceremonies” in addition to the letter of felicitation and a PHP100,000 centenarian gift from DSWD. (PNA)