BONTOC, Mountain Province – Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. announced that some nineteen centenarians from the different towns of the province received their mandated benefits from the national and provincial governments since the implementation of the Centenarian Act several years ago.
Lacwasan, who was in Paracelis town Monday to award the cash benefit of a centenarian from the place, together with representatives from the Cordillera office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR), underscored that there is a need to honor those individuals who were and will be able to reach a milestone in their lives because only a number of them are able to reach 100 years old and even beyond.
“We have to sustain the government’s program of paying tribute to our centenarians because it is our way of showing our love and care for them that they may continue to be healthy for them to witness the growth and success of their great grandchildren and be part of the overall development of the communities where they live,” Lacwasan stressed.
Aside from the P100,000 cash given by the DSWD to the centenarians, the governor claimed that the provincial government is also providing the declared centenarians P20,000 each which is given in the form of a check accompanied by a duly approved resolution from the provincial board honoring the centenarians.
He added personnel of the DSWD-CAR and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, in coordination with the concerned Municipal Social Welfare and Development office, provide the needed technical assistance in the processing of the documents of the centenarians for them to be entitled to receive the benefits due them from the government.
According to him, if a centenarian cannot attend the fitting occasion that is prepared for him or her to receive the benefits given by the government, the provincial government recognizes the duly authorized representative of the centenarian to receive the said benefits during the regular Monday flag-raising ceremony being held at the Provincial Capitol grounds or in the municipal hall grounds of the place where the centenarian comes from.
Mountain Province plays host to one of the biggest number of residents that were able to reach the century age based on available records from the DSWD-CAR which is at the forefront in conducting the evaluation and validation of centenarians in the region.
Lacwasan urged family members and relatives of centenarians who did not yet receive their cash benefits to visit the nearest social welfare office in their place and provide the required supporting documents that will show proof of the age of their relative who is a centenarian so that the concerned government agency and the local government will be able to process the immediate release of the cash benefits for the centenarian to use for whatever purpose, especially for their medical needs when they get sick or if they are suffering from a lingering illness among other reasons.
He claimed that the provincial government remains supportive of the government’s thrust to provide the needed support for centenarians for them to enjoy their remaining years with their family members and relatives.
By HENT
