Manila: Malaca±ang on Wednesday assured senior citizens that their government benefits due would not be unnecessarily delayed. This follows President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s order for the immediate resolution of complaints involving unreleased PHP10,000 cash gifts under the Expanded Centenarian Act.

According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro stated that the complaints filed with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) had reached the President, prompting him to instruct the relevant agencies to address the issue. "Ito po ay nakarating sa Pangulo at kailangan po talaga maibigay kung ano ang benepisyo na dapat ibigay sa ating mga elderlies lalung-lalo na iyong mga senior citizens dahil iyan naman po ay talagang kailangang maipaabot sa kanila nang mas mabilis at sa mabilis na pamamaraan (The issue has reached the President, and the benefits due to our elderly, particularly senior citizens, must really be delivered to them more quickly and promptly)," Castro explained in a Palace briefing.

The complaints focus on senior citizens who have yet to receive the PHP10,000 cash benefit. Castro mentioned that ARTA had forwarded these complaints to the Committee on Anti-Red Tape of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) on August 25.

A clarificatory meeting involving ARTA, NCSC, relevant local government units, and the affected senior citizens is scheduled for August 28. Castro emphasized, "Hindi po kinakailangan patagalin ang mga tulong na dapat naman pong maibigay nang mas mabilis na paraan (Assistance should be provided on time and should not be unnecessarily delayed)."