ILOILO CITY – The Iloilo provincial government beat the national government in granting monetary assistance to octogenarians and nonagenarians.

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. has ordered the release of P12.59 million to be distributed to 2,182 qualified senior citizens under Provincial Ordinance No. 2020-216.

The ordinances provides for a PHP 5,000 cash assistance to elderly citiens who are 85 and 95 years old. An additional PHP20,000 will be handed out to centenarians.

The national government has yet to implement the provisions of the amended Centenarian Law that grants senior citizens to receive PHP10,000 when they reach the age of 80, 85, 90 and 95.

Signed last February 26, by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Republic Act 11982 or the “Amendments to the Centenarian Act”, has not yet granted qualified beneficiaries a single centavo in view of the lack of implementing rules and guidelines.

Anna Rapunzel Ganzon, focal person for the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), said the Iloilo ordinance granting financial incentives to the elderly was approved in 2022.

The provincial government started distributing the cash assistance in December 2023.

PSWDO data showed that since 2023, over PHP9.23 million were released to 1,847 octogenarians, more than PHP1.11 million for 223 nonagenarians, and PHP2.24 million for 112 centenarians.

The province has 203,447 registered senior citizens.

“Ours is an augmentation. Supposedly, the LGUs (local government units) themselves directly where the senior citizens live should have their own additional benefits for their senior citizens,” Ganzon told government news agency PNA in an interview last week.

Ganzon said they are preparing to award senior citizen-friendly municipalities or cities in line with the celebration of the Elderly Week in the first week of October.

Winners receive PHP50,000 for the first place, PHP30,000 for second place and PHP20,000 for third place.

The awards are intended exclusively for programs, projects or activities beneficial to the senior citizens of the winning LGU.