A total of 565 centenarians in Soccsksargen region have received their entitled cash incentives worth about P56.5 million as provided under the Centenarians Act of 2016, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has disclosed.

DSWD Field Office (FO) XII reported that five centenarians were the latest recipient of the government’s P100,000 cash incentive as provided under Republic Act No. 10868.

Regional Director Cezario Joel Espejo noted that since 2016, they have disbursed P56.5 million for the cash incentives of 565 centenarians in region.

RA No. 10868 entitles all Filipinos who have reached 100 years old and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad to receive a cash gift amounting to P100,000 and a Letter of Felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines.

Espejo said in 2016, a total of 314 centenarians received their incentives; 69 in 2017; 73 in 2018; 50 in 2019; and 54 in 2020.

“These elders have significant contributions to our society and it's the government’s way of appreciating and acknowledging their efforts,” he said.

Assistant Regional Director Bonifacio Selma asked the immediate family members of the centenarians to coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) and present either a birth certificate, passport, Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs ID, marriage certificate, or any ID showing the centenarian’s birthday.

In the absence of any of these documents, the birth certificate of the centenarian’s children can be presented to establish his or her age, he said.

The distribution of the cash incentives was simultaneously held on Feb. 28 in Polomolok, Banga, and Surallah, all in South Cotabato province.