Cadiz City recently celebrated another “Super Lola” as it honored its newest centenarian, Maria Lumampao-Magbanua of Purok ILCO, Barangay Caduha-an, who turned 101 years old on January 20.
Lola Maria joins the ranks of the city’s oldest residents, including 103-year-old Estelita “Lola Tiling” Alimpolos of Barangay Sicaba, a press release from Cadiz City said Monday, June 15.
The city also fondly remembers the late Visitacion Victorama Contenido of Purok Awa, Barangay Zone 6, who passed away in February at the age of 109.
Born on Jan. 20, 1925, to Cayetano Lumampao and Julian Laurente, Lola Maria was “treated like a princess” by her husband, Felizardo Magbanua Sr., her great-granddaughter and primary caregiver, Kisshia Guen Magbanua, said.
While many women of her generation were subjected to grueling manual labor in the fields, Lola Maria was an exception. Instead, she focused her energy on managing the family’s arendo (land lease) with a steady, watchful hand.
Lola Maria has outlived her husband and all five of their children: Yolanda, Rudy, Salvador, Daisy, and Felizardo Jr.
Following an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2023, her physical strength has waned, but her unique personality remains a point of celebration.
A self-proclaimed “sweet tooth,” Lola Maria has never shied away from the simple pleasures of cake or ice cream.
She also holds a particular penchant for pairing her meals with carbonated drinks—especially Coca-Cola—almost every day, a habit that defies modern health manuals.
However, she balances this by demanding that her food, whether vegetables, chicken, or fish, be prepared with little to no oil. If a dish fails to meet her rigorous standards or smells too heavily of cooking oil, she will simply decline to eat.
It is a strict balance of indulgence and preference that seems, in retrospect, to have served as her own brand of medicine.
Her longevity has also brought significant financial recognition. In February 2025, she received a ₱100,000 cash incentive from the local government unit in accordance with Cadiz City Ordinance No. 24-2023, also known as the “Revised Consolidated/Modified Longevity Cash Award for Qualified Senior Citizens.”
Cadiz City Mayor Salvador “Bading” Escalante Jr. noted that under this ordinance, the city’s centenarians receive an additional ₱50,000 reward for every year they celebrate beyond their 100th birthday.
In addition to the city’s rewards, Lola Maria secured another ₱200,000 in cash incentives.
This included ₱100,000 from the Negros Occidental provincial government, and another ₱100,000 from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last year as part of the national recognition under Republic Act 11982, or the Expanded Centenarians Act of 2024.
“Lola Maria is now among the city’s legends, worthy to be treasured,” Escalante said.*
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