By Argyll Geducos
President Marcos has ordered the immediate resolution of complaints from senior citizens who have yet to receive their ₱10,000 cash gift under the Expanded Centenarians Act, Malacañang said.
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro made the announcement after eight Quezon City senior citizens filed anti‑red tape complaints against the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) on Monday, Aug. 24, citing delays in the release of their benefits.
The group claimed that some beneficiaries had died without receiving the cash gift, prompting them to seek government intervention.
In a press briefing on Wednesday, Aug. 26, Castro said the complaints filed with the Anti‑Red Tape Authority (ARTA) had reached the President, who immediately directed concerned agencies to act. “Agaran itong solusyunan,” she said.
Castro stressed that senior citizens should not have to wait unnecessarily long for benefits guaranteed under the law. “Hindi po kinakailangang patagalin ang mga tulong na dapat naman pong maibigay nang mas mabilis na paraan,” she added.
ARTA has endorsed the complaints to the Committee on Anti‑Red Tape of the NCSC, with a clarificatory meeting set on Aug. 28 involving ARTA, the NCSC, concerned local government units, and the complainants.
Republic Act No. 11982, or the Expanded Centenarians Act, expanded the cash gift program to include Filipinos reaching ages 80, 85, 90, and 95.
Qualified senior citizens receive ₱10,000 at each milestone, while those who reach 100 are entitled to ₱100,000 and a letter of felicitation from the President.
To speed up distribution, the NCSC has allowed beneficiaries to receive cash gifts through digital channels such as bank accounts and LandBank PISO accounts.
In February, the commission piloted a bank‑transfer system to make payouts more efficient, secure, and convenient, after reporting ₱2.8 billion disbursed in 2025, including delayed payments from the previous year.
During the signing of RA 11982 in February 2025, President Marcos emphasized that senior citizens should no longer face hardships at this stage of their lives, saying they deserve the government’s love, care, protection, respect, and honor.
“Batid ko pong marami pang kailangang gawin upang mas gawing siguro, ligtas, at maginhawa ang kalagayan ng ating mga nakakatanda,” he said.
The program aims to provide earlier recognition and financial support to older Filipinos amid the country’s aging population, with the United Nations projecting that those aged 60 and above will account for more than 10 percent of the population from 2025 to 2030.
