Mandaue City set to honor three centenarians

CEBU, Philippines – Three centenarians will be awarded with plaque of appreciation by the Mandaue City government on the culmination day of the “Elderly Filipino Week” on October 4.

Aside from honoring them, each of them will also receive P50,000 cash assistance  to be handed by Mayor Jonas Cortes and members of the City Council during Friday’s culmination rites.

Perfecto Parilla, federation president of the 3,000 senior citizens in the city, said the awarding ceremony for three centenarians is among the highlights of the city’s Elderly Filipino Week celebration whose opening program was held earlier at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Complex.

Two of the three centenarians to be awarded attended yesterday’s opening ceremony. One of them was Cristita Velasquez Del Mar of Sitio Wireless in Barangay Subangdaku who will turn 100 years old on the day she is expected to receive the award.

In an interview with reporters, Del Mar said the secret to her long life is her being fond of eating vegetables and making God as the center of her life.

“Mahilig ko og utan, dili ko masuk-anon ug ang pag-ampo sa Ginoo ra gyud akong gisaligan (I love to eat vegetables, control my temper and pray to the Lord),” Del Mar said.

She is married to Pedro Suico del Mar, a military man and together, they were blessed with six children and 10 grandchildren as of this writing.

Amadeo, 60-year-old son of Cristita, said it is their mother’s wish to have a mass held in their compound on her birthday this coming Saturday.

The second to receive the award is Serapio Sanchez Lumapas of Barangay Mantuyong who turned 100 years old last September 3.

Serapio is married to the late Quirina Flores. They were blessed with seven children and 15 grandchildren so far.

Serapio during his younger days was a business-minded person who, together with his late wife, ran a small store and an eatery along M.C. Briones Street in Barangay Casuntingan.

Serapio now lives in the house of his grandchild Jake Montecillo in Casuntingan.

Third to be honored by the city is Dolores Ermac of Barangay Casuntingan. Born on April 5,1908, she is 106 years old.

Ermac failed to show up yesterday as she only likes to lay in her bed, although she represented by her daughter Emalinda Ermac Catal, 51.

Emalinda said her mother Dolores does not have any major illness and still loves to talk. She said her mother also likes to eat vegetables and adobo.

Dolores said her mother married Marcos, an electrician, and they have seven children, 26 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

During yesterday’s opening ceremony, Mayor Cortes considered the senior citizens part of the greatest generation.

“Kamo kabahin sa greatest generation tungod kay nalagpasan ninyo ang daghang problema ug natukod ninyo ang mga pamilya bisan sa kalisud (You are part of the greatest generation because you were able to surpass a lot of challenges and build your family despite your struggles),” Cortes said in his speech.

“Celebrating the Elderly Filipino Week is an opportunity to return to you, our elders, the sacrifices that you made and the opportunity to show that you are still part of the productive community,” Cortes added.