President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes believes that President Marcos will give special mention to the enactment of Republic Act (RA) No.11982 or the Expanded Centenarian Act in his State of the Nation Address (SONA). 

The much-celebrated law was enactment by President Marcos in late February, months ahead of his third SONA on Monday, July 22. 

In a statement Sunday, July 21, Ordanes noted that the law will provide cash gifts to Filipinos who will reach the age of 80 to 95. 

“This law is a simple act of recognizing the contributions of our senior citizens to our country, to nation-building especially when they are still young and active members of the labor force,’ said the chairman of the House Committee on Senior Citizens. 

“The cash gifts that will be given to them starting at the age of 80 will be of big help in buying their maintenance medicine, food and other personal needs,” he added. 

Under the law that was actively pushed by the Senior Citizens Party-list, a sum of P10,000 will be given to Filipinos when they reach the age of 80, 85, 90 and 95. 

Ordanes also expressed confidence that the new law would be duly funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) or national budget. 

The House leadership is expecting to receive from Malacañang the proposed P6.352-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP)--the precursor of the GAB--in the days after the SONA,. 

Aside from Ordanes, other lawmakers who staunhy supported the passage of the Expanded Centenarian Act were Reps. Roy Loyola, LRay Villafuerte, Anthony Horibata, Nicolas Enciso, Loreto Amante, Miguel Luis Villafuerte, Mark Go, Bryan Revilla, Ruth Hernandez, Marlyn Agabas, Ma. Carmen Zamora, and Lani Mercado-Revilla.