Author: Erwin S. Batnag
Bontoc – Two centenarians received cash award from the Provincial Local Government Unit of Mountain Province on two separate occasions last Tuesday, June 3, 2019.
Lourdes A. Bulaec of Gonogon, Bontoc and Irene Agamas Poking of Cagubatan, Tadian who both reached the age of 100 last year received a check amounting to P30,000 each, a congratulatory resolution and a plaque from Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. for qualifying as Provincial Centenarians. The gifts were personally delivered during the chief executive’s visit to their respective barangay.
Bulaec was blessed with 6 children, 19 grandchildren and more than 40 great grandchildren. She is being taken cared by her first-born, Juanita (80 years old). Poking has 5 children, 23 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren. At 100, she is still witty and has a sharp memory. She prefers to live alone in her house where her children and grandchildren visit her to attend to her needs.
The recognition of centenarians in the province is pursuant to Provincial Ordinance No. 192 or the Centenarian Recognition and Awards Ordinance of Mountain Province.
According to Governor Lacwasan, the provincial government gives due recognition and confers certain privileges to qualified constituents who reached the age of 100 years or more.
Aside from the cash gift, the centenarians are entitled to a regular monthly check-up in their respective local Rural Health Unit and monitoring by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
“The well-being of our senior citizens, especially our centenarians has been a priority of this administration. Last year, we have closely worked with our finance people and as a result, the cash gift was raised from P20,000 to P30,000 in the last quarter of calendar year 2018,” Lacwasan said.
The governor also informed that the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and the respective Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office will submit the necessary requirements to the national government for provincial centenarians to qualify to the DSWD centenarian program that gives an amount of P100,000 cash gift.
Meanwhile, the PSWDO revealed that as of June for this year, 5 centenarians were duly recognized and honored by the provincial government after passing and fulfilling the necessary requirements. The other provincial centenarians who were previously recognized in the past months for this year are Fonnong Galawe Chummanao (100) of Butac, Natonin, Esther Kilangan Chapyosen (100) of Maligcong, Bontoc and Andres Wanason (100) of Butigue, Paracelis.
Since its implementation in 2015, the provincial government has already recognized 33 centenarians. The provincial government has been giving a P20,000.00 amount to qualified provincial centenarians until the amount was raised last year.
Among the requirements to qualify as provincial centenarian is the submission of birth certificate. In the absence of a birth certificate, the awardee can submit a baptismal certificate, school or employment records and other documents that can establish his or her date of birth.
