The Cadiz City government honored two centenarians and 40 nonagenarians with cash gifts on Valentine’s Day at rites held at the Cadiz Arena.
Centenarians Estelita Alimpolos of Sitio Cogon, Barangay Sicaba, and Cepriana Quinio of Purok Tinapok, Barangay Tinampa-an, received P100,000 each, a press release from Cadiz City said.
Epifania Balbinita, 95 of Hacienda Felomina, Barangay Burgos; Caridad Hechanova of Purok Pag-asa, Talabaan, Barangay Zone 1 and Reynaldo Santiago of Crossing Martesan, Barangay Burgos, got P50,000 each.
On the other hand, each of the 37 other nonagenarians aged 90 to 93 years old were given P25,000.
Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said they released P1,275,000 for the cash gifts of their senior citizens who reached the age of 90 to 100 years old.
Republic Act (RA) 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016 mandates local government units (LGUs) to give P100,000 as “centenarian gift” to those who reach 100 years old.
Escalante said the giving of the “centenarian gift” is their highest form of respect to those who “made it” to 100.
The cash gifts for Cadiz nonagenarians is a local initiative, he said.
“As soon as our pre-pandemic budget is restored, hopefully by next year we can also give out cash gifts to our octagenarians aged 85 to 89 years old, ” the mayor said.*