SAN JOSE CITY – The city government paid tribute to three of the oldest living San Josenians in this second-class city by giving each one of them birthday tokens and P20,000 in cash during the commemoration of the city’s 52nd founding anniversary on Tuesday.

City Mayor Mario “Kokoy” Salvador personally visited the three centenarians at their respective homes and congratulated each one of them for achieving a milestone of living for 100 years.

Honored were Lola Teofilo Andres, of Bgy. Apolonio Pascual, Lola Elena Cabie, of Bgy. Calaocan, and Lola Lucila Custodio, of Bgy. Caanawan.

“Ating pinuntahan ang ating kababayan na may edad na 100 years old upang ibigay ang regalo natin na handog ng LGU,” said Salvador, in a Facebook video posted by the City of San Jose, Nueva Ecija on Wednesday night.

The giving of birthday tokens such as grocery packs and P20,000 in cash to these centenarians coincided with the 52nd anniversary commemoration of its creation as a city on August 10, which was declared a special non-working holiday by Malacañang.

Salvador added that the city government is ready to assist them so each one of them will be able to get the “centenarian gift” worth P100,000 as prescribed under Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.

During the city’s 52nd anniversary celebration which was marked without fanfare for the second consecutive year due to the pandemic, Salvador called on all San Josenians to unite and heal as one by “remembering the hardships and sacrifices of their ancestors by keeping the city peaceful, clean, orderly, and progressive amid the coronavirus-19 pandemic.”

Under Republic Act 10868, all Filipinos, who reach the age of 100-years-old and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with a letter of felicitation from the President of the Republic of the Philippines, congratulating them for his or her longevity and a centenarian gift in the amount of P100,000.

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Steve A. Gosuico