At 111, Toledo woman to get reward for ‘a healthy lifestyle’
August 30, 2015
By FLORNISA M. GITGANO
CONSOLACION Elladora almost died in an epidemic after the Second World War.
She survived, but her five children did not. She thought her life had come to an end.
Now, Consolacion is the oldest person in Barangay Capitan Claudio, Toledo City. She is 111 years old.
She is also among the 10 centenarians in four southern Cebu towns who will receive P20,000 each from the Provincial Government.
The Provincial Board (PB) approved a resolution granting the cash assistance to the centenarians “who deserve to be honored and recognized for living a healthy lifestyle and having attained a century of existence, which every Filipino must be inspired and aspire for.”
PB Members Raul Alcoseba and Grecilda Sanchez sponsored the resolution.
Consolacion’s daughter Victoria Delima, 58, said that her mother’s first husband also died of an ailment in Negros before the Second World War. All Victoria knows is that his name was Oscar.
Now, Consolacion has 41 grandchildren. Victoria is the sixth of her seven children with her second husband, Maximo Elladora.
Maximo died when Victoria was seven years old.
Victoria has lost count of her mother’s great-grandchildren. Some are now married and have children of their own.
Despite her age, Consolacion lives in a separate hut near Victoria’s home. Her grandchildren Joy and Mimi always sleep with her.
She walks with the use of a cane and continues to attend to her vegetables in a small garden.
“Di ni siya mahimutang. Gusto ni siya maglihok (She does not want to sit still. She likes to work),” Victoria said.
Consolacion raised her seven children by planting corn and root crops, like sweet potato. “Kugihan siya mananom (She’s a hard-working gardener),” Victoria said.
Consolacion typically eats vegetables and fish. Her children do not want her to eat meat but sometimes she asks for chicken or pork.
Her only vice, her daughter said, is smoking rolled-up tobacco leaves during her free time.
Sometimes, she feels pain in her chest but her doctors have said she has no illness. She has never been confined in a hospital.
The other nine centenarians who will receive cash assistance are Concepcion Villafuerte of Poblacion, Maria De la Paz Gimota of Dakit and Antonio Pasinabo of Maigang in Barili; Nicolasa Biwang of Campo 8, Tirso Alferez of Magdugo and Ciriaco Mago of Matab-ang in Toledo; Claudio Encabo and Isedra Estreba of Tuburan; and Perfecto Jimenez of Buanoy in Balamban.
“As a gesture of recognition of our centenarians for living a healthy lifestyle and to help them in their economic condition, the Cebu Provincial Government grants financial assistance,” the resolution said.
