The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, honored Ignacia P. Damasco as the newest centenarian in the city.
In a resolution, city legislators stated that Mrs. Damasco celebrated her 100th birthday last July 29, 2020, being born and reared in Sta. Ana, Agoo, La Union.
Damasco is the 7th child among 11 siblings and that she is a widow and has no children.
She is a nonagenarian grantee last year ad that she is currently residing at her own house with her caregiver, Mrs. Cheryl G. Tagapulot, who is her distant relative, at Roxas St., Purok 7, East Modernsite barangay.
Due to old age, she no longer remembers some special events in her life which is part of the effects of aging.
The council narrated that in her old age, she is still physical strong to take care of herself as she can walk without any assistive devices.
According to the council, in her interview, she happily answered questions she barely recalls through the years old her life.
Damasco finished her elementary and high school studies in her town in Agoo, La Union before going to Manila to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, major in accounting at the Philippine School of commerce.
Although she no longer remembers if she took the licensure examination for Certified Public Accountants (CPA), Damasco believed that she had a nice job during her younger years.
In 1969, she got married to Domingo Damasco, but the couple had not been blessed with children because she was already in her 40s when they got married but she vividly recalls that her husband was a very kind and loving husband.
She and her husband came to the city and bought a property in East Modernsite, Baguio City but her husband died due to a lingering illness.
The centenarian admitted that at times, she forgets her own name whenever she is asked when she claims her pension from the Social Security System (SSS).
When she was asked what was her secret to long life, Damasco enthusiastically answered, “I eat anything, such as meat, with lots of vegetables, fruits and a regular intake of Insure milk and lots of water everyday.”
She added that bananas are a regular fruit diet that she takes to sustain her good health that resulted to her being one of the city’s centenarian for this year.
The council stated that she even excitedly claimed in her words, “I am a workaholic even at this time. I still do gardening in my backyard as part of my daily routine and exercise.”
Her caregiver even confirmed that at 100 years old, Ms. Damasco is still very independent as she takes care of her hygiene and is very organized with her things.
Damasco still has a living sister, Mrs. Victorina Orgina, who is already 103 years old, and resides with her family in Manila, a younger sister, Ms. Maria Loyola, 94 years old and also a nonagenarian last year who resides in South Central Aurora Hill. The sisters communicate through telephone calls with the assistance of her caregiver.
Damasco receives her monthly SSS pension amounting to P4,000 which she uses for her daily needs while relative provide her support in kind as well.
By Dexter A. See
Photo by Armando M. Bolislis