HOW ironic could this be.
According to the United Senior Citizens Associations-Quezon City (USCA-QC), dozens of senior citizens who reached the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95 entitling them to receive a P10,000 cash gift as provided by law, die even before they can receive the benefit due them.
This prompted USCA-QC, a Quezon City government-recognized federation representing more than 400 senior citizens’ organizations, to call for immediate reforms in the implementation of Republic Act 11982, citing serious delays that have plagued the program since the start of 2026.
The Expanded Centenarian Act grants a P10,000 cash gift to senior citizens upon reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95. The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) is responsible for implementing the law.
USCA-QC’s appeal was contained in a resolution unanimously adopted during the senior citizens summit sponsored by the barangay and community relations department of the QC government last month. In attendance were over 500 presidents of senior citizens organizations across the city.
Signatories to the resolution included USCA-QC president Rhodora Bohol (District 4), Vivian Rose Garcia (District 1), Antonio Baclor (District 2), Godelia Esguerra (District 3), Susan Bernal (District 5), Apolonia Tolentino (District 6), secretary-general Hubert Raymundo and veteran journalist Ben Rosario of the Marilag Senior Citizens Association.
In the resolution, the federation expressed deep concern over what it described as a “significant backlog in the processing and distribution of benefits,” a situation confirmed by an NCSC official who attended the summit. According to the federation, qualified beneficiaries have yet to receive their cash gifts due to the agency’s failure to release benefits over the past six months, beginning in December 2025.
“Senior citizens who qualify for the cash gift are already in their advanced years. Many depend on this assistance to help pay for medicines, food and other essential needs. The timely release of these benefits is therefore not only important — it is imperative,” the resolution stated.
The seriousness of the situation became even more apparent during a conference of senior citizens’ leaders in Novaliches last week, where several organization presidents reported that many qualified beneficiaries in their respective communities had already passed away without receiving the financial assistance due them under the law.
Tragically, on the very day the issue was being discussed, 87-year-old Josefina Razon of Project 4, Quezon City, died of cardiac arrest, according to Marilag Senior Citizens Association president Ben Rosario. She was among those who had qualified for the benefit but had yet to receive the cash gift.
Razon was 87 years old when she died. Meaning she was already two years past the age she should have received her entitlement due an 85-year-old. And for two years she waited. Are the authorities aware that P10,000 would only last for a month or a couple of months at most for maintenance medicines?
USCA-QC said such incidents underscore the urgent need to streamline the implementation of the Expanded Centenarian Act to ensure that elderly beneficiaries receive the assistance while they are still alive to benefit from it.
The federation further stressed that the prolonged delays run contrary to the principles of the Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007, which mandates efficient, prompt and citizen-oriented delivery of government services.
“Delays in the processing and release of these benefits defeat the very purpose of Republic Act 11982, which was enacted to honor and recognize the invaluable contributions of senior citizens to our nation. The law can achieve its noble objective only if the benefits reach qualified recipients on time,” the resolution emphasized.
USCA-QC called on the NCSC to adopt immediate corrective measures to eliminate the backlog, simplify administrative procedures and ensure the prompt release of benefits to all qualified senior citizens.
“The Expanded Centenarian Act was enacted so our senior citizens could receive recognition and assistance while they are still alive to benefit from it — not after months of waiting. Every delayed release risks depriving another elderly Filipino of a benefit the law has already granted,” the USCA-QC leaders stated.
And as the saying goes, “Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo?”
