On Older Persons/Centenarians

 

 

by Genevieve Balance-Kupang

The Second Centenarian in the Tikidan Family

The atmosphere at the Centenarian Award ceremony was filled with celebratory excitement, joy, hope for good health, and longevity for the awardee. All stakeholders gathered to show their profound appreciation and respect for the awardee as well as their nudging curiosity over her secrets for attaining such highly coveted health and longevity of one hundred (100) years.

In the Philippines, the first week of October is dubbed as the Filipino Elderly Week, mandated by Proclamation No. 470 as an appreciation of the elders’ valuable contribution to nation-building as well as promotion of public awareness regarding issues faced by older persons. The Elderly Week is commemorated with the National Respect with Centenarians Day,  promulgated by Republic Act No. 10868―An Act Honoring and Granting Additional Benefits and Privileges to Filipino Centenarians, and for Other Purposes. In the same week, the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) NGO, bestows awards to 10 outstanding older persons dubbed “Sampung Ulirang Nakatatanda.” In some cities like Baguio City, the whole month is commemorated as the Filipino Elderly Month. October is also designated as Indigenous Peoples Month. So, on October 27, 2021, the Department of Social Welfare and Development personnel and the Municipal Local Government Unit of Bauko, Mountain Province presented the Centenary Award to the indigenous elder Yuma Alto Dampalig at the Barangay Hall of Banao, Bauko.

Yuma Dampalig receives the cash gift, cheque, and the Letter of Felicitation from the Office of the President of the Philippines.  The gregarious Awardee poses for posterity with L-R: Bauko MSWDO Marichu B. Cominga, DSWD CAR Representative Regina Bosongan, Barangay Captain Fernando Cadoy, Councilor Cornelio Matias, Bauko LGU Public Employment Services Officer Renan Jake Oyang-o (who represented Municipal Mayor Abraham Akilit), and Vice-Mayor Bartolome B. Badecao.

The awardee Yuma was born on April 14, 2021, to the couple Gay-et Tikidan and Bayyec Alto. She was married to Doro Dampalig of Banao, Bauko and they were blessed with 11 children with only eight (8) surviving children to date. Her tribe increased with 39 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren.

The Centenarian Yuma Dampalig with some of her children and grandchildren who attended the ceremony.

She is the second centenary awardee in her family according to  Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer (MSDWO) Marichu B. Cominga, who introduced the centenarian to those present at this joyous ceremony. Her elder half-sister Consa Pilo, (the first centenarian awardee of Banao) also received the same Centenarian Award in 2017.

Kagawad Paul Taganas kicked off the ceremony with an opening prayer, followed by welcome remarks from Hon. Fernando Cadoy, Barangay Captain of Banao. Congratulating the celebrant for her longevity were Councilor Cornelio Matias, and Vice-Mayor Bartolome B. Badecao.  DSWD CAR Representative Regina Bosongan read the Letter of Felicitation from  President Rodrigo R. Duterte. Ms. Ellen Gonzales, Secretary of Barangay Banao led the closing prayer. Representatives from the Treasury Office of Bauko LGU rendered songs to serenade the awardee as well as handed the cash gift. Weaving the whole program into a beautiful and memorable ceremony is Senior Citizen Focal Person Julina Malinias as the Master of Ceremony.

L-R: Kagawad Paul Taganas leading the opening prayer of thanksgiving; Bauko MSWD Senior Citizen Focal Person Julina Malinias, the master of ceremony, and DSWD Field Office  Representative Regina Bosongan giving her congratulatory message.

Members and functionaries of every community are urged to joyfully care for and love our parents and grandparents, as they are the reason for our existence. Next to God, our elders are to be shown the utmost honor and respect as they have first taken care of us, their offspring, the younger generations. The Municipal Mayor, Abraham Akilit, through his representative Renan Jake Oyang-o expressed:

May we be blessed with long life like our mother/grandmother Yuma Dampalig… Our elders cannot do much in terms of physical work, but they have more time now to be our prayer intercessors for the spiritual and temporal wellbeing of the whole community. They pray unceasingly for our protection, continuous blessings, and our welfare. They are here praying for the whole Bauko family, the Philippines.

Longevity compliments and greetings by (L-R): Municipal Mayor Abraham Akilit through his representative Renan Jake Oyang-o, Vice-Mayor Bartolome B. Badecao, Councilor Cornelio Matias giving messages of congratulations, and Barangay Captain of Banao Fernando Cadoy welcoming and giving his opening remarks.

 Mary Gayados, one of Yuma’s children who rendered the message of acceptance profusely thanked the head of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) Marichu B. Cominga, Julina Malinias, and all the MSWDO personnel who helped and guided the family in the completion of the papers for the proper validation prior to the award ceremony. She likewise expressed her gratitude to Mayor Abraham Akilit, LGU officials, and all those present for their loving support. She is quoted as, “I had complete trust in the process especially the MSWD Officer and personnel for the guidance every step of the way. We are very happy for this recognition for our mother Yuma and for the cash gifts from our government.” In my personal conversations with her daughter Mary, she says her mom keeps herself busy by going to the “uma” vegetable garden plots and plants or pulls the weeds.

Posing for posterity are representatives from the Municipal Local Government Unit of Bauko and DSWD CAR field office representative who graced this special occasion.  Seated 4th from Left-Yuma Dampalig wearing the gift shirt handed by DSWD CAR representative Regina  Bosongan. “Centenarian-ak which reads: This person is officially 100 years old,”.
Representatives from the Bauko LGU Treasury Office Lydia Isican, Vilma Pineda, Rosario Iguid, and Dominica Zarate serenading the Awardee Yuma.
Alapo (Grandma) Yuma lives with her son Jimmy, and she still cooks her food which is typically blanched vegetables and avoids monosodium glutamate and frozen foods in her diet. She has proven her inherent autonomy and inner strength. Above her are rice panicles, the staple food of the locals in the Philippines.

In closing, we seek God’s grace so that we, the younger generations, may continue to show our love, care, and support by practicing heart listening which our elders need besides helping them with their health and physical needs, and to learn from their wisdom how to live a healthy and productive life. We help the government and NGOs working for the benefits of the older persons towards dignified aging and security. Mabuhay ang mga Pilipinong Nakatatanda (Long live the Filipino Senior Citizens)!

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About the writer:

Genevieve Balance Kupang (Genie) is an anthropologist, consultant, researcher, and advisor to individuals and organizations engaged in working for good governance, genuine leadership, justice, integrity of creation, peace, the indigenous peoples, preservation of cultures, and societal transformation processes. She is a peace educator, author, an interreligious dialogue practitioner, and resource person with a career in the academe and NGO.