A measure seeking to grant additional benefits to Filipino centenarians hurdled third reading approval at the House of Representatives.
The chamber approved House Bill 10647 with 193 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstention.
The bill proposes amendments to Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.
Those who reach the age of 101 years old will receive cash gifts worth P1 million on their birthday.
Under the bill, those who reach the age of 101 years old shall receive cash gifts worth P1 million on their birthday, as well as a letter of felicitation from the President.
Under the law, the current amount given to Filipino centenarians is P100,000.
Bukidnon Representative Manuel Zubiri, one of the authors of the bill, said not many Filipinos live to the age of 101, thus only a few get to enjoy the benefits of the law.
Zubiri said the bill proposes to expand the coverage of the law by including the Filipino octogenarians and nonagenarians.
“The bill proposes to expand the coverage of the law by including the Filipino octogenarians and nonagenarians.”
“To provide our beloved senior citizens the motivation to live longer, as well as to aid them the means to purchase medicines and other necessities, this bill seeks to expand the coverage of Republic Act No. 10868 to include those Filipinos who have reached the age of 80 and 90 years old,” the legislator said.
The bill provides that all Filipinos who reach the age of 80, 85, 90, and 95 years old shall receive P25,000 and a letter of felicitation from the President.
The National Commission of Senior Citizens shall be the lead implementing agency.
The funding for the implementation shall be sourced from the annual General Appropriations Act.
