CEBU CITY – “Tinolang isda” (fish ginger soup), “paksiw na isda” (fish in vinegar), and “kinilaw” (fish ceviche).

hese are the favorite dishes of Efigenia Macuto Bardos during her younger years. Pairing these dishes with a bottle of beer is also a regular habit.

Victoriana Ubod, on the other hand, is not choosy when it comes to food. She eats anything she wants but there was one thing that she avoids – getting mad.

Bardos and Ubod shared their secrets to longevity when the Cebu City Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) gifted them with P100,000 each for becoming a centenarian this year.

Bardos, a resident of Barangay Mambaling here, celebrated her 100th birth anniversary last Sept. 21 while Ubod, who lives in Barangay Sapangdaku, this city, became a centenarian on Aug. 20.

Led by Vicente Esmeña, OSCA personnel visited the two centenarians in their residence to hand over the city government’s cash gift.

OSCA gave Ubod P85,000 as she received P15,000 when she celebrated her 90th birthday.

Bardos has 12 children and 36 grandchildren.

Even at 100-years-old, Bardos still has no problem with her hearing and eyesight. Bardos can still read even the small fonts when she signed the document after receiving the cash gift.

Ubod, who has nine children, said keeping a cool demeanor helped her last this long.

She was admitted in a hospital last October.

“My prayer is for the Lord to give me longer life,” she said.

Ubod’s daughter, Rosalina, said her mother is a fighter who is still in her best elements even if there was a time when she was repeatedly admitted in a hospital.

“There was a time when the doctor turned us down already when we rushed him to the hospital. She was admitted in an ICU but she still survived,” Rosalina said.