Award for centenary citizens eyed

CEBU, Philippines - This could be something that the old people can be proud of.

Councilor Edgardo Labella has suggested that the city government should recognize and give awards to senior citizens living in Cebu City who have already reached the age of 100 or more.

Labella said the giving of the “Centenary Senior Citizen’s Award” would be made during the culmination of the celebration of the Senior Citizens Month on October 31, 2009.

In a proposed resolution, the councilor said that while most of the senior citizens in Cebu City are enjoying the city’s disbursement of cash gifts, there is a rare number of senior citizens who have reached the “triple-digit” age, or those who are 100 years and over.

“Considering the frail nature yet the extraordinary blessing of life these aged citizens have, there beckons a need, as a fealty to those whose courage have enriched our very history, to distinguish this special group of senior citizens,” Labella said.

According to him, this special group of elderly Filipinos represents the history and legacy of over a century of nationhood and it is apt to recognize them with the centenary senior citizens award.

Among the senior citizens in the city who already reached their 100 years is Natividad Sanchez-Go of barangay Mabolo who turned 100 last September 8.

 Senior citizens who are qualified for the proposed award are encouraged to register themselves at the Cebu City Senior Citizens Federation.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is also a senior citizen, supported such move of giving special award to all century-old senior citizens in the city.

All senior citizens in the city, except those who failed to vote in the last 2007 elections, have already received P2,000 cash incentive from the city, and Osmeña has again ordered the granting of additional P2,000 to them this year.

The mayor explained that his decision not to give incentives to those who did not vote in the recent elections is a way of educating the public that they have a social responsibility to build their nation by choosing the right candidates through an election. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (FREEMAN NEWS)