ILOILO City — More than 14,500 elderly Western Visayans are benefiting from ₱116.37 million in government cash gifts as the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Region 6 moves closer to completing milestone payouts for octogenarians, nonagenarians and centenarians across the region.
As of August 26, 2026, the massive payout drive covers 14,555 qualified senior citizens, including beneficiaries in Negros Occidental, under Republic Act 11982 or the Expanded Centenarians Act.
The distribution covers remaining allocations for qualified beneficiaries from 2024 and 2025, while payouts for seniors reaching certain milestone ages this year are also underway.
The bulk of the ₱116.37-million release is for the 2025 batch, consisting of 6,116 beneficiaries aged 80; 4,080 aged 85; 1,574 aged 90; 549 aged 95; and 90 centenarians.
Another 1,891 beneficiaries from 2024 are included in the current payout cycle. They consist of 1,002 seniors aged 80; 610 aged 85; 226 aged 90; 43 aged 95; and 10 centenarians.
Meanwhile, 75 Western Visayans who turned 100 years old this year have already received their full ₱100,000 centenarian cash gifts.
Qualified senior citizens aged 80, 85, 90 and 95 who reached their respective milestone ages between January and June this year are scheduled to receive their cash gifts in October.
Under RA 11982, Filipino senior citizens who reach the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95 are entitled to a ₱10,000 cash gift.
Those who reach 100 years old receive ₱100,000 and an official Letter of Felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines.
REGION OF LONGEVITY
Western Visayas has consistently ranked among the country’s top regions for centenarian longevity, which NCSC Western Visayas director Ann Rapunzel Ganzon attributed partly to the lifestyle and outlook of the region’s elderly population.
“I take pride because I get to meet them and have their stories documented — beautiful stories,” Ganzon shared.
“We cry, we laugh, they have different secrets, but the most common is their strong faith and prayer,” she added.
Field interviews with elderly residents have also revealed recurring lifestyle habits, including performing daily acts of goodwill and maintaining diets dominated by fresh vegetables and fish, with pork and beef consumed only occasionally.
The latest payout drive follows NCSC Western Visayas’ extensive distribution operations last year, when the agency released more than ₱315 million in cash benefits to qualified senior citizens across the region./PN
