Mendez Nuñez, Cavite celebrated a remarkable milestone as Genoveva Ferma Garcia, fondly called Lola Bebang, marked her 110th birthday on January 3. She is now recognized by an unofficial gerontology page as the possible oldest living Filipino.
Despite finishing only Grade 4, Lola Bebang lived a life of hard work and simplicity. She worked as a seamstress and cultivated a vegetable garden with her husband, Sixto Garcia, a former waiter at the historic Taal Vista Hotel in Tagaytay. Together, they raised nine children, and today she enjoys the company of nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Her family shared that she has enjoyed exceptional health, having never been hospitalized, with only occasional coughs and flu. While neighbors claim she carries amulets, her children attribute her longevity to her strong faith, noting that she still prays in Latin.
A healthy diet also plays a role. Lola Bebang favors bulanglang, a traditional Southern Tagalog vegetable stew, often paired with ripe mango for dessert.
In recognition of her longevity, she continues to receive financial incentives from the local government, including a ₱10,000 grant this year. Under the Centenarians Act and the Expanded Centenarians Act, Filipinos who reach 100 years old are entitled to national incentives. The Philippines is now home to over 1,000 centenarians, most of them women. #
Source: Sid Samaniego / Dennis Abrina
