Senior citizens in the Philippines who reach the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 will now receive a P10,000 cash benefit from the national government, following the implementation of the Expanded Centenarian Act.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, commissioner and officer-in-charge of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC), confirmed that seniors who reach these milestone ages are eligible for financial assistance.
“The cash benefit of P10,000 will be given to our elderly citizens once they turn 80, 85, 90, or 95,” Loreche stated in an interview on Johnson Ikwento Mo on TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
The new provision took effect on February 26, 2024. However, eligibility starts for those who celebrated their milestone birthdays on or after March 17, 2024. Those who turned 80, 85, 90, or 95 between March 17 and December 31, 2024, will be placed on a waitlist, as funding for the program will officially roll out from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
Loreche also clarified that only those reaching the specific milestone ages are qualified for the benefit, and not those in between. Furthermore, seniors who receive P10,000 at age 80 will be eligible for the same amount again when they reach the next milestone age.
Eligible applicants may apply for the benefit through the NCSC website at www.NCSC.gov.ph or visit their nearest Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) or Social Welfare and Development office.
