DSWD: More than 800 centenarians receive P100k cash gift

A total of 827 centenarians have received their P100,000 cash incentive which is mandated under the Republic Act No. 10868 or Centenarians Act of 2016, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Wednesday.

As of May 2021, DSWD disbursed P82.7 million for the cash gift of 827 centenarians out of 1,319 target beneficiaries in 2021.

To prevent virus transmission of beneficiaries, DSWD offered the cash incentives through house-to-house.

"Field Offices CALABARZON and X have already completed the distribution of the centenarian incentive for their target beneficiaries numbering to 135 and 25, respectively," the department said in a statement.

Under the centenarian law, Filipinos aged 100 years old and above, whether living in the country or abroad, will be given a Letter of Felicitation from the President to "congratulate them for their longevity."

For application of benefits, relatives of centenarians must submit primary documents such as birth certificate and Philippine passport to the city or municipal social welfare office and the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in their localities.

If passport and birth certificate are not available, authorities may also accept primary identification cards from Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and Social Security System (SSS); driver’s license; Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) license; and Commission on Elections (COMELEC). — Consuelo Marquez/RSJ, GMA News