How MVP spent his P10K birthday gift

MANILA, Philippines — Even with a multibillion-dollar business empire to his name, tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan still had one government benefit waiting for him: a P10,000 birthday cash gift.

At the inauguration of what is touted as the world’s largest solar farm yesterday, which also happened to be Pangilinan’s 80th birthday, President Marcos opened his speech with a lighthearted greeting for the businessman.

“You have officially made it into the Expanded Centenarians Act, for which now I am happy to announce you will receive P10,000 from the government,” Marcos said.

“It is a simple but, I hope, meaningful token of appreciation for the invaluable contributions to our nation that you have made throughout the years,” the President added.

Under the law, which amended the Centenarians Act of 2016, Filipino senior citizens receive a P10,000 cash incentive upon reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95.

Asked how he would spend his incentive, Pangilinan answered with his trademark humor.

“Pinambili na ng birthday cake (It was already used to buy a birthday cake),” he said in a chance interview.

Birthday wish

But beyond the laughs, Pangilinan’s 80th milestone prompted a moment of reflection when asked about his birthday wish.

“When we were in San Juan with the poor barangays and I was with the kids, I was asked the same thing: ‘What’s my birthday wish?’ I wish I were as young as they are, three to four years old,” the billionaire said.

“But they have an entirely new world, very different from ours.”

Even on a day meant to celebrate his life, Pangilinan chose to end on a wish not for himself but for the country. “As the President said, let’s unite to make life easier for the people.”

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, meanwhile, wished Pangilinan good health as she lauded the Meralco Group for developing the P200-billion MTerra Solar straddling Nueva Ecija and Bulacan.

“This is the best birthday celebration. I told MVP earlier, with this project, we leave this place, this country, a better place,” Garin said.

President Marcos and Pangilinan led the inauguration yesterday of Phase 1 of Meralco PowerGen’s MTerra Solar, which is posted to deliver 600 megawatts of mid-merit capacity to utilization giant Manila Electric Co. under its first phase.

MTerra Solar, which straddles Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, will feature a 3,500 MW solar farm, paried with a 4,500 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system.