This can draw a smile from our centenarians
The article about 103-year-old Terso Alferes, who traveled 50 kilometers from
Toledo City to Cebu City, to find out why he wasn’t receiving the P50 monthly financial assistance due him, almost moved me to tears (Across the Nation, 10/25/14).
He was instructed by Magdugo barangay chair Juan Climaco to go to the Provincial
Social Welfare and Development to see Gov. Hilario Davide III. The governor gave him P1,000 from his own pocket and then referred Alferes to Toledo Vice Mayor Antonio Yapha. Alas, the city council has yet to pass an ordinance granting honoraria to centenarians.
In June 2013, I wrote a letter of appeal to President Aquino and members of Congress to hasten the enactment into law of the amended Senior Citizens Act that was vetoed by the President. The proposed law would have given a 75-percent discount to centenarians. Business establishments opposed it, saying it was unfair to them and would make them lose money.
Unfortunately, so many controversial and shocking issues eclipsed this very important concern of our valued elderly who deserve to be honored and given importance at this stage of their lives.
I read that Nueva Vizcaya awards all centenarians P100,000 each upon reaching 100 years old. So far, there have been nine happy recipients.
If Nueva Vizcaya can afford to do this, what is preventing the economically more prosperous and advanced local government units from making their centenarians smile and feel some recognition in the remaining years of their lives?
I believe that our leaders should prioritize the proposed amendment to the Senior Citizens Act as a pressing concern, just like going after corrupt government officials who are in a race to rob the most from the Filipino taxpayers.
May I ask those who are guilty of accumulating so much money and material possessions through corrupt practices: “Do you think you can bring with you any of your stolen wealth when your earthly journey ends, or with the loot you are guaranteed a place in heaven?”
Think again, billions of pesos have been stolen from the public coffers. How far could the loot have gone, if it had been properly spent, to free Filipinos from extreme suffering due to poverty and from the agony of uncertainty due to unemployment. How far it could have improved our poor educational facilities and fill the lack of much needed medical assistance and medicines in public health centers and hospitals. Poor Juan dela Cruz!
May I appeal again to our leaders to pass the proposed amendment of the Senior Citizens Act for the benefit of our beloved centenarians. Christmas is still over a month away and this is the most opportune time to grant this most awaited honoraria for our dear centenarians.
After all, there are but a few of them, and all of us are going in one direction and are bound to get old, too.
—REMA TAN MANZANO, PhD,
