Marcos orders resolution of woes over delayed cash gift for senior citizens

August 26, 2026

By ABOGADO.COM.PH Staff

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the National Commission for Senior Citizens to immediately resolve complaints over the P 10,000 cash gift to qualified senior citizens and immediately distribute it to those who are qualified under the Expanded Centenarians Act.

“Ito ay nakarating sa Pangulo at kailangan po talaga maibigay kung ano ang benepisyo na dapat ibigay sa ating mga elderly lalung-lalo na iyong mga senior citizens dahil iyan naman po ay talagang kailangang maipaabot sa kanila nang mas mabilis at sa mabilis na pamamaraan,” said Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace press officer Claire Castro in a press briefing.

She went on: “So, ipinag-utos niya rin na agaran itong solusyunan kaya nakatanggap ang ARTA nga ng reklamo at ito ay nagkaroon ng endorsement sa Committee on Anti-Red Tape ng National Commission of Senior Citizens or NCSC noong August 25, 2026 at naka-schedule ang clarificatory meeting sa August 28, 2026 sa pagitan ng ARTA, NCSC at mga concerned local government unit at pati iyong mga nagrereklamo na ating mga senior citizen.”

Eight senior citizens from Quezon City filed complaints before the Anti-Red Tape Authority expressed serious concerns over the long delays in the payment of the cash gift.

Castro assured Filipino senior citizens that the government will carry out the directives and address the issue immediately.

“So, makakaasa po ang ating mga kababayan na patuloy pong gagampanan ng pamahalaan at ito po ay tutugunan agad ng Pangulo at ng ARTA para maresolba ang issue na ito,” Castro said.

She said the help the government must provide will not be delayed.

“So, hindi po kinakailangan patagalin ang mga tulong na dapat naman pong maibigay nang mas mabilis na paraan,” Castro added.