Malacañang on Wednesday assured senior citizens that their government benefits due would not be unnecessarily delayed.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered the National Commission for Senior Citizens (NCSC) to immediately distribute the P10,000 cash gift to qualified senior citizens who are beneficiaries under the Expanded Centenarians Act.
Under the Expanded Centenarians Act (Republic Act No. 11982), all Filipino senior citizens reaching the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95 years old are entitled to a P10,000 cash gift.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that the President, upon learning of the complaints filed with the Anti-Red Tape Authority, directed responsible agencies to address the delays without pause.
Eight Quezon City senior citizens on August 24 filed anti-red tape cases against the National Commission of Senior Citizens over delays in the release of P10,000 cash gifts they are entitled to for reaching milestone ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95.
In complaints filed before the Anti-Red Tape Authority, the eight senior citizens, with ages from 80 to 85 and residents of Barangay Marilag, aired serious concerns over the long delays, saying that they do not want to suffer the same fate as some of their friends who died without receiving their cash gifts.
Castro assured all Filipino senior citizens that the government will carry out the directives and address the issue immediately.
‘Ito po ay nakarating sa Pangulo at kailangan po talaga maibigay kung ano ang benepisyo na dapat ibigay sa ating mga elderlies lalung-lalo na iyong mga senior citizens dahil iyan naman po ay talagang kailangang maipaabot sa kanila nang mas mabilis at sa mabilis na pamamaraan (The issue has reached the President, and the benefits due to our elderly, particularly senior citizens, must really be delivered to them more quickly and promptly),’ Castro said in a Palace briefing.
Castro said ARTA endorsed the complaints to the Committee on Anti-Red Tape of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) on August 25.
A clarificatory meeting among ARTA, NCSC, concerned local government units, and the complaining senior citizens is scheduled on August 28.
‘Assistance should be provided on time and should not be unnecessarily delayed,’ Castro said.