Senior citizens will no longer have to wait to be centenarians to enjoy cash rewards from the government if the proposed bill of Manila Congressman Benny Abante Jr. (6th district) gets to pass Congress.

Speaking at the "Balitaan sa Harbor View" of the Manila City Hall Reporters' Association, Abante said that his proposal lowers the age to qualify for such reward to only 70 years old with the amount varying based on the age of the senior citizen concerned.

Noting that currently, one has to reach 101 years old to be able to get P100,000 from the government, Abante said: It seems we don't want to give the P100,000. How many of us can reach 100 years old?

Thus, under his proposal, Abante wants the senior citizens to start receiving their "cash rewards" from the government at 70, when they can still really enjoy the said incentive.

"Pag umabot ng abot 70 years old, bigyan ng 70,000. Pag 80 years old, 80,000. Pag 90 years old, 90,000. I believe our senior citizens ought to be rewarded for what they did for the nation and their family in the past. This is not subsidy or ayuda kundi a reward for them," he said.

"We should give them what is due them and not wait for them to turn 100," he stressed.

To be able to qualify for such cash reward, Abante said that the senior citizen concerned will just have to present a card duly issued by the Office of Senior Citizens' Affairs, the office which, under the law, is authorized to issue such identification cards to their respective constituencies.

Stating that his primary advocacy is to promote the welfare of the senior citizens and persons with disability, Abante said that he is also pushing for the removal of value added tax for motorists who are senior citizens when they gas up and also when paying rents.