SEN. REVILLA REFILES MEASURE AMENDING THE CENTENARIANS ACT; BILL AMONG HIS TOP PRIORITIES

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. refiled the bill he ardently pushed during the 18th Congress, that seeks to amend Republic Act No. 10868 or the “Centenarians Act of 2016”, specifically the provision that sets the age of entitlement for monetary benefit and commendation. In the language of the original law, all Filipinos who reach the age of 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall receive a cash gift amounting to P100,000.00 and a letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant.

However, while the law is well-received and manifests the State’s respect and appreciation for its centenarian citizens, recent statistics show that many elderly Filipinos do not reach the qualifying age which can be attributed to the high cost of medicines and healthcare and the rising cost of basic commodities.

In the most recent data released by the World Health Organization in 2019, the life expectancy for Filipino males is 67 years and 73 years for Filipino females. However, the data do not reflect possible changes in the numbers over the recent years especially that COVID-19 pandemic happened and continues to persist only after 2019.

In Sen. Revilla’s bill, the cash gift will be given in three installments to benefit the Filipino elderly including those who have not yet reached 100 years old. P10,000.00 shall be given upon reaching 80 years old, another P10,000.00 upon reaching 90 years old, and a final P100,000.00 upon reaching 100 years old.

"Ika nga sa kasabihan natin, aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo. Kakaunti na lang ang mga kababayan nating umaabot sa 100. Dapat talaga na hatiin natin at mas agahan natin ang pagbibigay ng cash gift sa ating mga lolo at lola para mas pakinabangan nila yung tulong ng pamahalaan. Yung edad kasi na 80 at 90, doon mas kailangan ng mga nakatatanda natin ng pampagamot," Sen. Revilla explained.

As reported by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a total of 8,568 centenarians were served since the implementation of the law, broken down as follows: 2,739 in 2016, 940 in 2017, 1,509 in 2018, 1,090 in 2019, 985 in 2020, and 1,305 in 2021.

Senior Citizens belong to some of the most marginalized sectors of society. The COVID-19 pandemic which has been dubbed as one of the worst in recent memory, has revealed their vulnerabilities. Sen. Revilla believes that special attention should be given to them.

Naniniwala si Sen. Revilla na upang tanawin ang malaking utang na loob ng bayan sa ating mga minamahal na senior citizens, marapat lamang na sa dapit-hapon ng kanilang buhay ay yakapin natin sila, arugain at busugin sa mga benepisyo.

REVILLA ISINULONG NA MAAMYENDAHAN ANG BATAS PARA SA 100K NI LOLO AT LOLA

ISINULONG ni Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. ang isang panukalang batas na naglalayong amyendahan ang Republic Act No. 10868 o ‘Centenarians Act of 2016’ na kasalukuyang nagbibigay ng P100,000 cash gift sa mga Pilipinong aabot sa 100 taong gulang kalakip ng isang sulat ng pagbati mula sa Pangulo ng bansa.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang ito ni Revilla, ang P100,000 nasabing cash gift ay hahatiin sa tatlong bigay: una ay P10,000 pagsapit ng 80 anyos; panibagong P10,000 pagsapit ng 90 anyos; at ang kabuuang P100,000 pagsapit naman ng 100 taon.

Ito ay ibinase sa datos na inilabas ng World Health Organization (WHO) noong 2019 kung saan ang haba umano ng buhay ng lalaking Pinoy ay karaniwang naglalaro lamang sa edad na 67 at 73 anyos naman para sa mga babaeng Pinoy.

“Minabuti po nating ihain ang pag-amyenda sa umiiral na batas na ito para naman mas pakinabangan pa ng ating mga senior citizens ang benepisyo ng gobyerno. Malaking tulong ito sa mga nakatatandang myembro ng lipunan lalo pa't patuloy ang pagtaas ng mga bilihin at gamot sa gitna ng kinakaharap nating mga krisis at pandemya,” saad ni Revilla.

Nabatid na base sa ulat ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ay nasa kabuuang 8,568 pa lamang ang sentenaryong Pinoy ang nakinabang simula ng ipatupad ang Centenarian Act of 2016.