DSWD Field Office I staff hands the PhP100,00 cash gift to Lola Aurea from Alaminos, Pangasinan
DSWD Field Office I staff hands the PhP100,00 cash gift to Lola Aurea from Alaminos, Pangasinan

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office I, has provided 100-year-old Aurea Basobas Corpuz of Barangay Bisocol in Alaminos, Pangasinan with her P100,000 cash gift as provided for under Republic Act (RA) 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.

Staff from DSWD FO I personally visited Lola Aurea to hand over the cash gift.

Malaking tulong ang cash gift na ito dahil magagamit namin itong pambili ng pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan ng aming Nanay, gaya ng gatas, gamot, at diaper (This cash gift is a big help because we can use this to purchase the daily necessities of our mother, such as milk, medicines, and diaper),” shared Evelyn Arafiles, the eldest child of Lola Aurea.

Undersecretary for Operations, Aimee Torrefranca-Neri said that “the Department immediately facilitated the release of Lola Aurea’s cash incentive to augment the family’s resources for her health and nutritional requirements, especially during these difficult times.”

Prior to the provision of the cash gift by DSWD, the City Government of Alaminos has extended a P10,000 cash assistance to the centenarian to augment her daily needs.

The Corpuz family expressed their gratitude to DSWD for expediting the provision of the cash gift of Lola Aurea and to their city government for extending additional aid to the centenarian.

DSWD FO I Director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo said the FO is facilitating the release of the cash gift of the centenarians in the region so they can enjoy their well-deserved reward with their families. The Regional Director highlighted the contributions of older persons in nation-building, providing the foundation and laying the groundwork for today’s society.

RA 10868, which is being implemented by DSWD, states that all Filipinos, who have reached 100 years old and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad shall be honored with a Letter of Felicitation from the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity; and a Centenarian gift in the amount of P100,000.

DSWD has been adopting a house-to-house delivery scheme for the centenarian cash gift in cognizance of the centenarians’ health and physical limitations, especially during this pandemic. ###