Expanded Centenarian Act to benefit thousands of elderly OFWs

By Marita Moaje, Philippine News Agency

FILE: A Department of Social Welfare and Development staff turns over a PHP100,000 cash gift to a centenarian at the municipal hall of Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte on March 19, 2024. (Photo: Municipal Government of Pagudpud-LGU/Facebook)

MANILA – Thousands of elderly overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) stand to benefit from Republic Act (RA) No. 11982 or the Expanded Centenarian Act, which will be fully implemented in 2025.

In a news release on Friday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said it expects an efficient distribution of benefits through the Elder Living System, a program designed to address the needs of thousands of elderly OFWs and their families.

DMW Undersecretary Dominique Tutay and Assistant Secretary Venecio Legaspi signed the 2024 Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 1 in Quezon City on Nov. 27, alongside the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and several government departments including the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Commission on Overseas Filipinos.

The CFO-DFA-DILG-DMW-NCSC JMC establishes guidelines for providing benefits to Filipino octogenarians, nonagenarians, and centenarians as per RA 11982, which amends RA 10868 (Centenarian Act of 2016).

During the signing, the DMW emphasized its dedication to ensuring that all eligible senior citizens, both here and abroad, receive benefits from the law, which President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed into law on Feb. 26, 2024.

“Senior overseas Filipino workers embody both sacrifice and success, inspiring future generations,” Legaspi said.

The Expanded Centenarian Act grant a PHP10,000 cash gift for those celebrating their 80th, 85th, 90th and 95th birthdays.

The PHP100,000 cash gift for 100-year-olds is the key feature of RA 10868

The Elderly Data Management System, a digital tool, will help facilitate the distribution of the benefits, ensuring that qualified senior citizens, especially those living abroad, receive assistance efficiently and transparently.

The DMW has prioritized senior OFWs in its 10-Point Agenda, pledging to develop specialized programs that tackle the unique challenges faced by elderly migrant workers.

The DMW also stated it will collaborate closely with the NCSC and other agencies to ensure the successful worldwide rollout of the Expanded Centenarians Act.