BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Since the launch of the Enduring Devotion Program (EDP) in 2024, the provincial government here has disbursed P44.05 million in cash assistance to couples who have sustained a marriage for at least 50 years.
Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Jose Gambito said the program provides a P50,000 incentive to each qualified couple.
It has so far reached 881 “golden” couples across the province’s 15 municipalities, Gambito said.
The ordinance for the initiative was authored by former board member Patricio Dumlao Jr.
Its purpose, as stated in the ordinance, is to recognize Novo Vizcayano spouses whose unions remain strong and solid for five decades as well as to highlight the importance of stable families in communities.
Under the ordinance’s guidelines, applicants must submit documentation proving the length of their marriage and residency in Nueva Vizcaya.
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), led by Flordelina Granada, handles the verification process in coordination with municipal social welfare offices.
Once validated, eligible couples are included in the list for the cash assistance.
Data from PSWDO show that beneficiaries come from all parts of the province. Recent records list recipients from Solano, Bagabag, Bayombong, and Aritao as among the municipalities with the highest number of qualified couples.
Other towns with awardees include Bambang, Dupax del Norte, Diadi, Dupax del Sur, Villaverde, and Kasibu. Smaller numbers have also been recorded from Quezon, Alfonso Castañeda, Santa Fe, and Kayapa.
Among those recognized are Rodrigo and Soledad Flores of Barangay La Torre Norte, Bayombong. With 76 years of marriage, they are recorded as the longest-married couple among those who have received assistance under the program to date.
Gambito has described the program as both financial support and public recognition.
“This is more than a monetary reward — it is recognition of enduring commitment,” Gambito said.
The governor has also linked the initiative to family stability, expressing hope that the example of long-married couples can influence younger families.
The PSWDO continues to process new applications.
Granada said nearly 500 additional submissions from couples who meet the 50-year requirement are currently under review. Once verified, these couples will be added to the roster of beneficiaries.
The P50,000 grant is given as a one-time cash incentive per couple. Provincial records indicate that disbursements began in 2024 and have since accumulated to P44.05 million. The amount reflects payments made to the 881 couples already approved since the program started.
Gambito said the ordinance does not set a limit on the number of couples who may qualify, provided they meet the documentary requirements.
“This open structure means that as more applications are validated, total disbursements are expected to increase,” the governor said.
The EDP operates alongside other provincial social welfare initiatives aimed at vulnerable and senior sectors.
Program administrators said the verification process includes cross-checking marriage certificates, civil registry records, and barangay certifications to ensure accuracy.
For many municipalities, the list of qualified couples is updated regularly as local social welfare offices forward new applications to the provincial office.
Granada said they prioritize the completeness of documents to avoid delays in processing.
With nearly 500 applications still pending, provincial planners anticipate that the number of beneficiaries will continue to grow in the coming months.
The program remains funded through the provincial budget allocated for social welfare services.
By tying recognition to a specific milestone of 50 years, the province has created a record of couples whose marriages span significant periods of local history.
Gambito noted that from the post-war years to the present, these unions cover decades of social and economic change in Nueva Vizcaya.
He said the EDP stands as one of the province’s continuing commitments to senior citizens and to the documentation of family longevity in the region.