The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) have signed an agreement to move the distribution of cash gifts for elderly Filipinos to digital payment channels nationwide.
NCSC chairperson and CEO Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez and Landbank President and CEO Lynette Ortiz signed the Supplemental Memorandum of Agreement on July 1. NCSC Acting Executive Director IV Ana Marie Calapit and Landbank Executive Vice President Marilou Villafranca served as witnesses.
The agreement covers cash gifts granted under Republic Act 11982, the Expanded Centenarians Act. Filipino seniors receive ₱10,000 upon reaching 80, 85, 90, and 95 years old, and ₱100,000 upon reaching 100.
For beneficiaries with existing Landbank accounts, cash gifts may now be credited directly. Seniors can also receive their gifts through Landbank’s weAccess internet banking facility and bulk crediting system, the PISO Plus Account, the Landbank Visa Debit Card, or other bank accounts they nominate.
Those without a Landbank account can open one through the Landbank Mobile Banking App or the bank’s Digital Onboarding System at any branch, which the agencies said would cut down on paperwork typically required for cash gift claims.
“By modernizing our financial delivery systems, we are not just distributing funds; we are actively eliminating barriers, reducing long lines, and delivering dignity, security, and respect to our older population,” Gutierrez said in a news release Monday.
Ortiz said the shift reflects Landbank’s broader approach to digital banking. “At Landbank, we believe that true development is not merely measured by technological advancement, but by how effectively we use it to protect and care for the vulnerable sectors of our society,” she said.
The NCSC expects to release more than ₱3 billion in cash gifts to around 299,000 beneficiaries under the law this year. As of May 2026, the commission had already served 75,922 grantees, with total disbursements reaching ₱801.79 million.
For senior citizens who rely on GCash or Maya for other government transactions, the Landbank-administered cash gifts remain separate from those e-wallets for now, following instead through Landbank’s own banking channels and partner touchpoints.
The partnership forms part of the Marcos administration’s push to move government benefit payments toward electronic channels, a shift also seen in disbursements handled by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Social Security System in recent years.
NCSC and Landbank have not announced a specific date by which all cash gift disbursements will be fully digital, though the agencies indicated the rollout is already underway nationwide.
