NCSC reminds octogenarians, nonagenarians to apply for P10K cash gift

The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) on Tuesday called on senior citizens to apply for the benefits of the Expanded Centenarian law, which would grant them a P10,000 cash gift for octogenarians and nonagenarians.

According to NCSC officer-in-charge and commission member Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, senior citizens will need to apply with local units to be able to receive the cash gift from the national government.

“Kami ay nananawagan sa ating mga nakakatanda na dumulog po sila sa kanilang mga (Office of the Senior Citizens Affair) o kaya sa kanilang LGU (local government unit) upang makakuha ng application,” she said in an interview on GMA Super Radyo dzBB.

(We are appealing to senior citizens to head to their Office of the Senior Citizens Affair or their local government units.)

“We have to apply for this and the necessary basic requirements na kailangan natin upang maka-avail sila (that are needed for them to avail),” she added.

Under Republic Act 11982 or the Amendments to the Centenarian Act signed by President Ferdinand “Bonbgong” Marcos Jr. in February, all Filipinos reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 shall receive a cash gift amounting to P10,000, effective January 1, 2025.

This is on top of the P100,000 cash gift granted to all Filipinos — whether residing in the Philippines or abroad — once they reach the age of 100.

Senior citizens

In the same interview, Loreche also reminded senior citizens that they no longer need to present their purchase booklets to avail of the 20% discount on medicines and medicinal devices.

“Along the way, I believe na for us to be progressive, kailangan din naman na isipin din natin eh eventually, na QR coding will have to be put in place but in the meantime, we are happy that this is implemented already even without the QR code,” she said in the same interview.

(Along the way, I believe that for us to be progressive, we also need to think that eventually, QR coding will have to be put in place but in the meantime, we are happy that this is implemented already even without the QR code.)

The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday issued Administrative Order 2024-0017, with deletes provisions on the previous orders that require senior citizens to present their purchase booklets when purchasing prescription medicines, over the counter medicines, and medical devices.

According to Health Assistant Secretary Albert Francis Domingo, the development was done following a risk-benefit analysis which showed that more hardships were being experienced by senior citizens due to the booklet requirement.

“Nakita natin based on the reaction, mas maraming senior ‘yung talagang hirap na hirap dahil naging balakid ‘yung booklet,” he said in a separate interview.

“Again, everything in medicine and also in health policy is risk-benefit. Kung mas marami ang makakabenepisyo, doon tayo,” he added.

(We saw that based on the reaction, there were more seniors who faced difficulties as the booklet was a hindrance. Again, everything in medicine and also in health policy is risk-benefit. We will push through with where more people benefit.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News