Conchita Tangalin, a 100-year-old resident of Barangay Buyagan in Benguet, celebrated her centennial birthday on September 27 with relatives, friends, and neighbors marveling at her strength and vitality despite having no special diet or secret health regimen.
Born in 1925, Tangalin shared her simple advice for a long and happy life, especially for women: eat ‘watwat’—portions of meat shared during community celebrations—and enjoy a jigger of gin or beer occasionally.
“Women should have a little wine or whiskey. Our bodies also need to drink,” she said, gesturing with two fingers to indicate a shot.
Tangalin is set to receive PHP100,000 from the local government under a municipal ordinance passed in March 2025, which increased the centenarian benefit from PHP10,000. She is the fifth centenarian in the town as of 2024.
Vice Mayor Guiller Galwan, who visited Tangalin in her modest one-room home, believes her difficult life experiences contributed to her longevity. Separated from her parents for nearly seven years and having done work uncommon for women of her time, Tangalin developed resilience and a strong will to live long.
Her early years included education at a nunnery in Intramuros, Manila, which was cut short by World War II. She later worked as a laundry woman and farm cleaner in the town’s strawberry farms, carrying heavy sacks of horse manure to make ends meet.
Tangalin married Enrique Tangalin, a carpenter, and they had eight children. She also served as a “komadrona” (midwife), assisting many women in childbirth across local barangays, referring difficult cases to hospitals.
Despite refusing COVID-19 vaccination due to a fear of injections, Tangalin remained healthy and was never hospitalized during the pandemic, according to her granddaughter Gemmilyn Jose.
Now living alone, Tangalin prefers to cook and care for herself, with nearby granddaughters delivering her food supplies. She remains free of major illnesses except for a sore back and takes no medication for hypertension or diabetes.
For entertainment, she watches television, recently tuning in to news about a flood control scandal.
Her story is a testament to resilience, simplicity, and the enduring spirit of Benguet’s community.