The Centenarians Act of 2016 or the Republic Act 10868 was signed into law on July 15, 2016. Under the law, grandparents (in the Philippines or abroad) who reached a century (100) of age will receive a P100K cash gift and a Letter of Felicitation from the Philippine President to honor their longevity.
So, for those who have not yet applied to this program, if you have grandparents who are nearly reaching 100, you may start preparing the necessary documents to avail the incentives given by the government.
Who can avail the P100k Cash Gift?
- All Filipino citizens living in the Philippines and abroad, who reached 100 years old before July 15, 2016, the date that RA 10868 took effect, and those who reached 100 years old thereafter.
- A deceased Filipino centenarian who died after the effectivity of RA 10868 is still entitled to the awards and incentives.
- On the other hand, a centenarian who is already a naturalized citizen of another country must first re-acquire his/her Filipino citizenship through RA 9225 to become eligible.
What are the necessary requirements?
For living Filipino centenarians:
- Duly accomplished application form;
- Photocopy of valid Philippine passport;
- Photocopy of citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Certificate, Identification Certificate, and/or Order of Approval Certificate, and/or Oath of Allegiance Certificate (if dual citizen); and
- Philippine peso-denominated bank account details of the Filipino centenarian, or if not available;
- One (1) original and two (2) certified true copy of Special Power of Attorney (SPA) authorizing the attorney-in-fact to receive/deposit or encash the centenarian’s gift in check and send the said amount to him or her, in any means possible
For deceased Filipino centenarians:
- Duly accomplished application form;
- Photocopy of valid Philippine passport;
- Photocopies of citizenship Retention and Re-Acquisition Certificate, Identification Certificate, and/or Order of Approval Certificate, and/or Oath of Allegiance Certificate (if dual citizen);
- Death certificate of centenarian;
- Photocopy of valid identification card of the nearest surviving relative;
- Proof of relationship with the deceased centenarian, such as certificate of live birth, certificate of marriage, or any other document of the nearest surviving relative that would establish his/her relationship with the centenarian; and
- In case there are various nearest surviving relatives (e.g., children), one (1) original and two (2) certified true copies of a special power of attorney authorizing a representative (claimant) to receive the centenarian gift on behalf of all of them;
- The claimant should also execute a warranty and release from liability form.
Application Process:
The Filipino centenarian’s nearest living relative might apply on his or her behalf. In this scenario, in addition to the documentary requirements, the representative must produce the following documents:
a. Letter of authorization signed by the centenarian, and/or medical certificate for bedridden overseas centenarian; and
b. Original valid identification card with photograph of the representative.
The centenarian’s immediate family or relatives can submit the needed documents or affidavits to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) once they are completed. The MSWDO will double-check that all required paperwork is in order and will offer technical assistance and advice on what to do next.
The MSWDO will complete the process and then transmit the verified documents to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer for assessment and referral to the DSWD-Regional Office. The DSWD will also keep a close eye on the identification of recipients and the distribution of funding.
According to the DSWD, the incentives will be distributed to the centenarian on the first Sunday of October or during the beneficiary’s actual 100th birthday.
For the copy of forms, you may download through these links:
- APPLICATION FOR AVAILMENT OF AWARDS AND INCENTIVES FOR OVERSEAS FILIPINO CENTENARIANS UNDER R.A. 10868
- Warranty and Release from Liability Form
Read Also: DSWD Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC): Requirements and Procedure