STARTING this year, Mandaue City will celeberate every October 7 as a day for the city’s centenarians or persons who have reached 100 years or more.

This was made possible after the Mandaue City Council approved, on final reading, a proposed ordinance authored by City Councilor Cesar “Ting Sol” Cabahug Jr. on its regular session on Sept. 15, 2021.

Cabahug told SunStar Cebu that the ordinance was realized as a way to give honor to the city’s centenarians, especially during Elderly Week, which is celebrated every October 1 to 7.

Cabahug, who chairs the committee on senior citizens, said for this year, he wanted the last day of Elderly Week to be dedicated for the city’s centenarians.

Cabahug said as city councilor, he had met and awarded five centenarians in the City.

In Mandaue City, any person that reaches the age of 100 will be granted a centenarian award of P100,000 from the city government and another P100,000 from the national government.

With Centenarian Day now realized, Cabahug said he wanted to highlight the centenarians to other senior citizens to be inspired by them and live long.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Cabahug said they used to celebrate the Elderly Week with games, dance contests and other fun activities for the senior citizens.

In this year’s Elderly week, Cabahug told SunStar Cebu that they will limit their physical activities.

Though the pandemic has prevented senior citizens from going out of their homes, Cabahug said they will continue with their regular distribution of medicines and vitamins for them.

He also plans to use this year’s celebrations to persuade other senior citizens who have yet to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

He said there are already 17,000 senior citizens that were vaccinated in the city out of the 33,000 senior citizens registered in the masterlist. (KFD)