MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government on Monday awarded three female centenarian residents with cash gifts of P100,000 each.
Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay also announced that starting this year, the awarding of the P100,000 cash gifts to centenarians will be done quarterly instead of once a year as previously practiced when the one-time benefit was granted through City Ordinance No. 2012- 099.
Binay said the three female centenarians comprise the third batch of awardees of the program that was started in December 2012.
“This is a gift they truly deserve for all their sacrifices and everything they have done for their families,†Binay said.
Given the cash gifts were Florentina C. Rabago of Barangay Cembo, Dr. Angelina A. Bayan of Barangay Magallanes, and Felisa V. Atencia of Barangay Pembo.
Rabago was born on Feb. 27, 1914 and was married to retired Lt. Marcelino B. Rabago (deceased) on Apr. 24, 1938. They had six children.
She has been bedridden for some time now but is still in good health, according to family members.
Dr. Bayan who was born on Mar. 7, 1914, is a physician, a pharmacist and a nutritionist. She was married to Atanacio S. Bayan (deceased) and the couple had two children. She authored several nutrition books and served as Chairman/President of the Food and Nutrition Research Foundation from 1986-2011.
Atencia, meanwhile, was born on Jan. 14, 1914. She now lives with her daughter Lina A. Del Rosario in Barangay Pembo.
The latest beneficiaries of the program were able to meet the following criteria set by the MSWD, the lead implementer of the BLU Card Program: 1) must be a Filipino citizen; 2) must be a bonafide resident of Makati; 3) must have reached 100 years old as of January 1, 2013 until December 31, 2013; 4) and must be a BLU Card and White Card holder for at least five years.
To date, 12 centenarians have been awarded with the P100,000 one-time cash gift, the Makati City government said.