Fourteen senior citizens aged 80 and above from two Negros Oriental towns on Thursday received cash incentive from the government under the Expanded Centenarians Act.

Key officials of the National Commission for Senior Citizens (NCSC) led the payout at the gymnasium of Zamboanguita town.

Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, NCSC officer-in-charge chair and commissioner, said the cash distribution was the first in Negros Oriental.

“They were the first to submit their applications for the cash incentive for senior citizens aged 80, 85, 90 and 95,” Loreche said, referring to the beneficiaries, which included 12 from Zamboanguita and two from Dauin.

“We are encouraging other senior citizens in this age bracket to avail of the Expanded Centenarian incentive,” she added.

The senior citizens received PHP10,000 each from the NCSC and an additional PHP5,000 from Ninay Asuncion Dela Pena Recto, a philanthropist from Zamboanguita.

Daniela Delmo Rodriguez, 85, a widow from Barangay Maluay, Zamboanguita, thanked the government for the cash assistance.

Speaking in Cebuano, she said the money “is a big help to the elderly who have no income.”

“I am very happy to receive the cash which I will use to buy medicines,” the wheelchair-bound widow said in an interview.

Rodriguez was a family cook and now lives with younger family members.

Meanwhile, the NCSC, along with local government officials and agency representatives, unveiled the marker during the Senior Citizens Community Care Center (SC3C) launch in Zamboanguita.

This is the first SC3C in Negros Oriental and fifth in the country.

Apart from Loreche, NCSC Commissioners Reymar Mansilungan and Lt. Gen. Rainier Cruz III (ret.) were present during the activity, along with officials from the local government unit, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Health. (PNA)