Law on benefits for senior citizens awaited

Rep. Mark Go said that the proposed law providing additional benefits for octogenarians and nonagenarians is now awaiting the signature of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. so that it will be fully implemented.

He claimed that the bicameral conference committee report on both the House and Senate bills providing financial benefits to octogenarians and nonagenarians had already been ratified by both chambers before going on Yuletide recess by the middle of the month.

Under the proposed law, senior citizens who reach the age of 80 will be provided a cash incentive of P10,000; those who will be reaching the age of 85 will be granted an incentive of another P10,000; those who will be turning 90 years old will get P10,000 and those who will turn 95 will have another P10,000.

Go added that the P100,000 cash incentive to centenarians as provided in an earlier law that had been enacted for the said purpose will remain to be given to senior citizens who will reach 100 years old.

Congressman Go added that the proposed law seeks to expand the coverage of the pertinent provisions of the Centenarian Act of 2016 so that Filipino senior citizens living in the country or overseas who reach the aforesaid ages will be able to be granted cash incentives.

According to studies, the life expectancy for Filipino men is around 79 years old while it is around 83 years old among women.

The lawmaker pointed out that the proposed law was introduced in both chambers of Congress to give a chance to Filipinos who are able to reach the age of 80, 85, 90 and 95 to enjoy the prescribed cash incentives as many Filipinos are not able to reach the age of 100 to enjoy the P100,000 cash incentive for the centenarians as mandated by an existing law.

He explained that the rising cost of living and health care expenses have made it very difficult for many senior citizens to afford basic necessities that is why the proposed law wants to expand the coverage of the Centenarian Act so that more elderly will be able to benefit from the expanded coverage of the law and that they may be inspired to further prolong and enjoy their lives even beyond a century.

Further, the proposed law serves as a testament to the special Filipino culture for providing and caring for the elderly.

Congressman Go emphasized that the additional benefits for senior citizens as provided in the proposed law expanding the coverage of the centenarian law will definitely serve as a motivation for the elderly to live longer and that their cash incentive will help in sustaining their living expenses, medicines, health care and other necessities.

He stipulated that the bicameral conference committee report that was ratified by both chambers was already transmitted to the Office of the President for review and assessment before the same will be scheduled for signing and eventual implementation by the government considering the snowballing clamor for the expansion of the benefits that are being granted by the government to the senior citizens. – Dexter A. See