ILOILO – Western Visayas emerged as one of the top regions in the country for delivering cash benefits to senior citizens under the Expanded Centenarians Act (ECA), disbursing over P144 million to 13,372 elderly beneficiaries from March 2024 to June 2025.
The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Region 6 placed second nationwide in cash gift distribution, next only to the National Capital Region (NCR). The payout covered milestone ages of 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 years old, with recipients receiving either P10,000 or P100,000 depending on their age bracket.
“While NCR leads in the number of grantees receiving cash grants for milestone ages established under the ECA, Western Visayas has proven its dedication and commitment by ranking second in the country for the total disbursed amount,” said Regional Director Ann Rapunzel “Rara” Ganzon.
Breakdown of Disbursements
The biggest allocation went to Iloilo province, which released P49.43 million to 4,565 grantees, followed by Negros Occidental with P37.88 million for 3,608 beneficiaries.
Other provinces and their distributions were:
* Aklan – P18.45 million for 1,683 grantees
* Antique – P14.63 million for 1,346 grantees
* Capiz – P16.98 million for 1,581 grantees
* Guimaras – P5.38 million for 493 grantees
* Iloilo City – P1.41 million for 96 grantees
Despite challenges such as limited manpower and insufficient information dissemination, NCSC-6 managed to reach a wide base of beneficiaries. Ganzon credited the media for amplifying awareness of the program.
“We are extremely thankful for our partnership with the media, as they have played a significant part in spreading the word about the National Commission of Senior Citizens and our programs,” she said.
Ahead of Elderly Filipino Week
The accomplishment comes as the region marks Elderly Filipino Week in October. NCSC-6 also became the first in the Philippines to complete liquidation of its previous financial documentation — allowing the transfer of an additional P121 million in funds. This ensures more than 11,000 new grantees will receive their cash gifts this month.
Director Ganzon reaffirmed the agency’s mission: “We are dedicated to reaching out to our senior citizens and ensuring they have access to the assistance available to them.”
The Expanded Centenarians Act institutionalizes recognition and cash incentives for Filipinos reaching advanced milestone ages, underscoring the government’s commitment to honor and support its elderly population./PN
