101-yr-old man claims ‘tuba’ secret to long life

MAGSAYSAY, Davao del Sur (PNA) – Drinking a glass of “tuba” (coconut wine) is a daily habit of 101-year-old Leoncio Sayson Saturos, which has been his secret to his long life.

Accompanied by five of his eight children, Saturos traveled about five kilometers from his residence in Purok 1-A in Barangay Bacungan to reach the municipal hall here.

The good news was officials of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XI and Mayor Arthur Davin were already waiting to hand him the R100,000 as cash incentive for having lived a “healthy and happy lifestyle” pursuant to Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016.

Saturos, who walks with the help of crutches, remains sharp, although his hearing has deteriorated through the years.

He said the cash incentive was going to be a big help to sustain his needs, as this will add to his pension as a war veteran.

Aside from his tuba-drinking habit, he is also regularly drinks goat’s milk and “tsokolate” and eats fresh tobacco, fruits and vegetables.

According to him, he does not follow any strict diet, although he seldom eats pork and chicken, and prefers fish.

Saturos was a World War II veteran and later became a “Tenyente del Barrio,” now called barangay captain, for several years during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the 1970s.

He became a widower in his 70s after his wife died due to diabetes. Seven of his eight children are still alive. His youngest daughter already passed away when she was still in her 40s. His eldest is 79 years old and his youngest son is 65.

Saturos is still praying that God will give him more years to live