Mayor Co leads turn over of P100-K to centenarians

By Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY, September 18- Mayor Samuel Co took the lead in turning over the benefits of the two centenarians in the city.

The centenarians were:

1 Matilde Dagahas (100 years old) of barangay Tuburan;

2. Esperanza Valdez (10 years odl) of barangay San Francisco.

Co personally visited their homes and handed the centenarians P100,000.00 each. Co was accompanied by Evangilene Poquita, the City Social Welfare and Development Officer and her staff.

The good mayor is hoping that with the benefits, the centenarians will be motivated to live longer. The cash benefit will help them the means to purchase medicines and other necessities.

Meanwhile, the local chief executive was impressed by the two centenarians for they remained strong and could walk without the use of assistive devices.

"It's my first time that  I've seen centenarians who are strong and can stand without the use of a cane. In the past, the centenarians that I have given the 100,00 are usually sitting in a wheelchair and some of them are bedridden,” Co said.

“My attention was focused on Valdez because at the age of 100 years she is still very strong, can laugh, write and hear, and is still mentally and physically active,"he added.

Valdez, was the former supervisor of DeEd and was also a former barangay councilor of that served barangay San Francisco for 3 consecutive terms.

The families of the centenarians thanked the city government for implementing the program saying  it will help the elderly  who are experiencing difficulty in purchasing their maintenance medicine.

As mandated by Republic Act 10868, or the Centenarian Act of 2016, individuals who have reached 100 years of age and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, will be granted a cash gift amounting to P10,000 and a congratulatory letter from the President of the Philippines. (jcc/Pagadian Times)