Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday assured the public of an enhanced implementation of Republic Act 10868, known as the Centenarians Act, in coordination with the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC), a supervised agency of the DSWD.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao spoke in a radio interview, stating that the department is closely coordinating with the NCSC, especially now that the commission is under the supervision of the DSWD. Dumlao mentioned that they are reviewing past strategies employed for the betterment of the elderly sector and will determine which practices need to be continued. Furthermore, she emphasized the department's commitment to addressing current issues and providing direction to the NCSC, particularly in program implementation.

The DSWD spokesperson highlighted that the department will maintain coordination with the NCSC and the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) of local government units (LGUs) to ensure centenarians receive their felicitation letters and cash incentives punctually. Dumlao noted that the DSWD has a database allowing them to forecast which senior citizens are approaching 100 years old, enabling pre-emptive identification and verification of eligible individuals.

According to the DSWD official, a notable instance involved the DSWD field office in Central Luzon, which reached out to four centenarians from an Aeta community in Capas, Tarlac, who had been featured in a viral Facebook video. In the video, the elderly Aetas expressed concerns over not receiving their centenarian incentives due to being considered 'overaged.'

Following instructions from Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Dumlao reported that the DSWD promptly distributed PHP10,000 cash assistance to the Aeta elders who had not yet received their centenarian incentives. The department has also coordinated with the NCSC to ensure the complete distribution of the incentives.

Under the Centenarian Law, all Filipinos reaching 100 years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, are honored with a Letter of Felicitation from the President of the Philippines and a centenarian gift of PHP100,000, in recognition of their contributions to nation-building. Since January 2025, the implementation of the Centenarians Act has been placed under the NCSC, as mandated by Republic Act 11350, the law creating the NCSC.