Manila: A new law was signed on Monday (February 26, 2024) that offers 10,000 pesos (about $178) to Filipinos upon reaching the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed the legislation during a ceremony that took in the Malacañan Palace. It was attended by lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The law on cash gifts to the elderly, numbered as Republic Act No. 11983, grants 10,000 pesos for Filipinos when they hit the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95 years old.
Congressman Representative Rodolfo Ordanes, who represents Senior Citizens in the lower house, explained that the revised law would provide a cash gift of 10,000 pesos to seniors upon reaching each milestone age, with an additional 100,000 pesos ($1,780) granted upon turning 100 years old.
In his address, Marcos hailed the amendment to the Centenarian Law (Republic Act No. 11983) as a tribute to the Filipino tradition of compassion towards the elderly.
“The expansion of the coverage of the Centenarians Act is a homage to the Filipino trait of compassion, and in our culture, none are showered with more kind and loving care than our elderly,” said Marcos in his speech.
“We do, after all, stand on the shoulders of these giants. But they deserve more than cash in an envelope. What they should get is a support infrastructure that every society owes to its greying population,” he added.
More than financial assistance
He emphasised the importance of providing more than just financial assistance, advocating for a robust support system for the ageing population.
It also creates an Elderly Data Management System.
Acknowledging potential scepticism, Marcos quipped about the timing of the law's passage, humorously suggesting it might be seen as preparation for the politicians' own old age.
100k for centenarians
Previously, the Centenarian Law only extended benefits to Filipinos upon reaching the age of 100, entitling them to a cash gift of 100,000 pesos ($1,786).
However, Congress expanded the scope of these benefits in December 2023. The amendment was signed into law on Monday.
