Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla, Jr. hailed President Marcos for signing on Monday, Feb. 26 the bill expanding the coverage of the Centenarians Act of 2016 as senior citizens will no longer have to wait until they reach 100 years old to receive cash gifts from the government.
The proposed measure would grant benefits to Filipino octogenarians and nonagenarians, apart from centenarians. Revilla is the principal author of the statute which is the first measure he filed during the current congress.
“Taos-puso ko pong pinapupurihan at pinasasalamatan ang ating Pangulong Bongbong Marcos sa pagsasabatas ng ating pangunahing panukala upang amyendahan ang Centenarians Law. Ang matagal na nating ipinapaglaban para sa ating mga lolo at lola ay tuluyan na nating napagtagumpayan! (I express my heartfelt gratitude to President Bongbong Marcos for signing into law our priority proposal to amend the Centenarians Law. Our long fight for our grandmothers and grandfathers has triumphed!,” Revilla said.
“This was my promise to the Filipino elders and I’m proud to say that I fulfilled it. Sa wakas ay makakasama na rin sa mga mabibigyan ng benepisyo yung iba pa sa kanila, hindi lamang yung mga aabot ng isang daan taong gulang (At last others will also benefit from the law, not only those who will reach 100 years old),” he added.
Under this law, all Filipinos reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 shall receive a cash gift amounting to P10,000 while those reaching the age of 100 shall continue to receive P100,000.
Revilla explained the intent of the new law, saying that it aims to provide cash benefits for Filipino elders at an earlier age so that they would get to enjoy it more.
“Layon po ng batas na ito na mapaaga ang pagbibigay natin ng benepisyo para sa ating mga lolo at lola. Hindi na nila kinakailangan pang umabot ng 100 taong gulang para lamang makatanggap ng cash gift galing sa ating pamahalaan. 80 pa lang, bibigyan na natin sila agad. Pagdating ng 85, 90, at 95, bibigyan ulit natin sila. At kung ipagkaloob ng Panginoon na sila ay umabot ng isang daang taon, bibigyan natin sila ng mas malaking halaga bilang pagkilala sa kanilang narating (The law's goal is to provide the benefits early to our lolos and lola. They do not need to reach 100 to get cash gifts from the government. At the age of 80, they will receive it already. When they reach 85, 90, 95, they will given again. And if God permits that they reach 100, we would give them a bigger amount to recognize their accomplishment),” he said.
To effectively implement the provisions of the Act, an Elderly Data Management System shall be maintained by the National Commission on Senior Citizens. This is to assure that all qualified beneficiaries shall receive the benefits they are entitled to receive.
“Kasama sa batas natin ang pagtatatag ng database para masiguro na wala tayong makakalimutang abutan ng benepisyo. (Part of the law is creating a database to make sure that we will not forget to give anyone these benefits). With all the things our elders have done for our country, we should assure that they will receive all the honor and benefits they deserve,” he detailed.
Revilla first filed the measure during the start of 18th Congress in 2019 but failed to become a law.
Revilla assured the people that the fight for the welfare of senior citizens does not end with the enactment of the law. He bared that he is still pushing for the passage of bills he filed that would directly benefit the senior citizens.
“Hindi dito matatapos ang pagpupursigi natin para mas mabigyan pa ng pagpapahalaga, pagkilala, at pagmamahal ang ating mga lolo at lola. Marami pa tayong panukala na isusulong para maipasa. Simula pa lang ito ng bagong laban – laban para sa tuloy-tuloy na pag-angat ng kanilang kapakanan (Our crusade to appreciate, recognize and express love to our eldelry does not end here. We have a lot more proposals that we will pursue to be passed into law. This is just the start of a new fight - a fight to continuously improve their welfare),” Revilla said.