MANILA – Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. on Wednesday urged the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) to ensure the implementation of Republic Act 11982 or the Expanded Centenarians Act by January 2025.
Under the law, elderlies will receive PHP10,000 upon reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 which should be claimed from NCSC within one year after reaching the milestone age.
Centenarians, or those who reach 100 years old after the law takes effect, will continue to receive a one-time cash gift of PHP100,000.
“The NCSC must not fail to implement this immediately. I trust they won’t disappoint our lolos (grandfathers) and lolas (grandmothers) who have been waiting for this since March,” Revilla said in a news release.
“We ensured funding for this in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) or the 2025 National Budget. I coordinated with the Department of Budget and Management to secure the funds. Now, it’s up to the NCSC to implement it and make sure no senior is left behind,” he said.
The senator noted that approximately 200,000 senior citizens stand to benefit from the law.
Early this month, the NCSC announced that senior citizens who turned 80, 85, 90, or 95 from March 17, 2024, or when RA 11982 became effective, until December 31, 2024 may start their application.
However, their names would still be placed on the waiting list until the funds are released next year. (PNA)