𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀, 𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐔 — There must be something in the enchanting air and water of Camotes Island that promotes healthy and long life among its residents.
On June 26, Gov. Gwen Garcia personally handed checks worth P100,000 each to two Camotes centenarians — one from this municipality and another from the Municipality of Poro.
Lola Elpedia Maranan of Villahermosa, Tudela; and Lola Teodora Ibon Tenchavez of Cagcagan, Poro, met Gov. Gwen at the tenth and final stop of the Caravan of Government Services at the Tudela Civic Center to receive their checks from the Capitol.
Lola Elpedia was born on the Valentine’s Day of 1924. She was blessed with 8 children. She revealed that the secret to her long life is eating nutritious food such as vegetables and fish which are abundant in Camotes.
For her part, Lola Teodora, who has 2 children, was born on April 21, 1924. She said she regularly takes vitamins, drinks milk, and eats corn grits (binlod nga mais), otan Bisaya, and isda nga til-ugon — all of which are readily available in the island.
The financial grant from the Capitol is meant as appreciation for their long years of service and tremendous contributions to their communities.
In addition to the check, the two centenarians also received from the Capitol wheel chairs for better mobility, vitamins and seedlings, and ABAG Sugbo QR coded cards (which entitle them to free medical checkups and medicines at the Ricardo L. Maningo Memorial Hospital).
DSWD 7 also chipped in with cash assistance and food packs; while DILG Cebu provides them with slippers and five kilos of rice.
Their guardians have also been awarded with certificates of entitlement for Sugbo Kahanas, ensuring them of slots in the Capitol’s 100-million-peso technical and vocational skills training program.
Lola Elpedia’s grandson Eduardo Mazo is assured of a slot in the shielded metal arc welding training; while Lola Teodora’s niece Luz Celedonio will be given a chance to take on cookery trainings. | BJR
