BAGUIO CITY – The National Center of Senior Citizens (NCSC) is urging elderly Filipinos to register online with the agency to ensure access to government programs, benefits, and activities.
NCSC-Cordillera regional director lawyer Luz Laureta-Balisong on Wednesday encouraged seniors to seek assistance from relatives in completing the online registration, or visit the NCSC office for help.
The registration is free.
The process requires a birth certificate and will serve as a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT)-vetted document that can be used for various government transactions.
“With their registration, the government will know the actual number of senior citizens for planning programs, projects, and benefits, including the cash gift under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act,” Balisong told the Philippine News Agency.
Registered seniors will no longer need to obtain an ID from the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs, as the NCSC-issued digital ID will be available through the government’s eGovPH app.
The agency is also working with lawmakers to scrap the grocery purchase booklet in favor of the NCSC ID.
Among the key benefits requiring registration are cash gifts for milestone ages: PHP10,000 at 80, 85, 90 and 95 years old, and PHP100,000 plus a presidential citation for centenarians. Seniors must register at least six months before reaching the required age to qualify.
Senior citizens are also entitled by law to a 20 percent discount on food, medicines, and services. (PNA)