Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile thanks his colleagues during his valedictory speech on June 6, 2016. Enrile has served the country’s executive department for over 20 years where he served as justice and defense secretary, and 27 years in the legislative department with four terms in the Senate and three years in the House of Representatives. (Photo courtesy: Senate of the Philippines/file)

Juan Ponce Enrile – a former senator, defense minister to Presidents Marcos and Cory Aquino, EDSA “hero” and probably the oldest active cabinet member in the world – trended on social media on Wednesday, February 14, when he turned 100 years old.

Netizens have been posting birthday greetings as well as memes that also poke fun at his age.

"The immortal Juan Ponce Enrile turns 100 today! Happy birthday!," wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter).  

"Today, Feb. 14, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile celebrates his 100th birthday. He has spanned eight administrations, including two Marcoses and two Aquinos," another one posted.

Turning 100, Enrile is one of the Filipinos who is entitled to receive a P100,000 cash as mandated in the Centenarians Act of 2016.

Under Republic Act 10868, also known as the Centenarians Act of 2016, benefits and privileges are provided to Filipino citizens who reach the age of 100 years or older. 

The legislative measure was signed into law on May 30, 2016, by President Benigno Aquino III.

Under the law, Filipino centenarians are entitled to the following benefits:

• A cash gift of 100,000 Philippine pesos from the national government;
  
• Letter of Felicitation signed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines;
  
• For deceased centenarians, a posthumous plaque of recognition will be awarded to their nearest surviving relative; and,

In addition to these national benefits, each city or town that has qualified centenarians will also receive plaque or recognition and cash incentive from their respective local government units.

What are the requirements?

Centenarians can apply for the program by presenting the necessary documents to the local government or the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The field office of the agency must endorse the documents.

• Birth Certificate; or
  
• Philippine Passport

In the absence of the above documents, any of the following primary IDs may be submitted:

• Senior Citizen ID or Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) ID
  
• LTO-issued Driver's License
  
• SSS ID
  
• GSIS ID
  
• PRC License
  
• Postal ID
  
• Voter's ID or COMELEC certification or
  
• Other IDs that indicate Filipino citizenship and year of birth

In the absence of the above primary IDs, any two (2) of the following secondary documents may be submitted:

• Marriage Certificate
  
• Children's Birth Certificate
  
• Baptismal or Confirmation Certificate
  
• Old School or Employment Records or
  
• Affidavit of at least two (2) Disinterested Persons

Centenarian Filipinos residing in other countries, meanwhile, can present their IDs to the Philippine Embassy. These documents will then be forwarded to the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. (JCO/PIA-NCR)