MANILA — As session resumed on Monday, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill increasing the cash gift for Filipino centenarians who reach 101 years old from P100,000 to P1 million.
With an overwhelming 257 votes, lawmakers also granted P25,000 to Filipinos when they reach the age of 80, 85, 90 and 95, whether living here or abroad.
House Bill 7535 provides that all of these elderly shall receive a letter of felicitation from the president of the Philippines.
Speaker Martin Romualdez said with this legislation, the House “would like to honor our countrymen for their years of service to the country and for their discipline in ensuring that they live a long, healthy and fruitful life.”
“Of course, we also want our octogenarians and nonagenarians to enjoy this benefit while they still can without having to wait until 101 years old, so we also provided a cash gift for them,” he noted.
The bill mandates the National Commission of Senior Citizens to implement the measure once passed into law.
In pushing for the bill’s approval, Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes underscored earlier that only 1,000 senior citizens among 12 million avail of the P100,000 centenarian cash grant.
Ordanes added that widening the coverage of the cash grant would not only help them and their families financially, but will also boost the elderly’s morale.
Records from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed there are 662 centenarian Filipinos in the country.
Aside from Ordanes, the other principal authors of the measure are
Representatives Jude Acidre, Sonny Lagon, Daphne Lagon, Brian Yamsuan, PM Vargas, Toby Tiangco, Salvador Pleyto, Roy Loyola, LRay Villafuerte, Loreto Amante, Jam Baronda, Eric Yap, Edvic Yap, Paolo Duterte, Migs Nograles, Lani Mercado-Revilla and Gus Tambunting.
8 Replies to “House approves bill granting P1 million to Filipinos age 101”