‘Oldest Woman In The World’ Born In 1800s Dies Aged 124

A woman thought to be the oldest person in the world has died at the age of 124.

Prior to her death, Lola Francisca Susano, from the Philippines, was believed to have been the last person alive to have been born before the 20th century.

State officials in Lola’s home province of Kabankalan, Negros Occidental province, confirmed that she had passed away on the evening of November 22.

In a post shared to Facebook, the City Government of Kabankalan stated that ‘Lola Iska will always remain as our inspiration and pride’:

Her official declaration as the oldest person in the world at 124 years old is currently validated by the Guinness World Records.

Mayor Pedro Zayco, Jr., Vice Mayor Raul Rivera and all city officials as well as all the people of Kabankalan City condole and pray with the family of Lola Iska in their period of bereavement.

An official cause of death has yet to be given at the time of writing. However, as reported by CNN Philippines, City public information officer Jake Carlyne Gonzales has said that Lola’s body will be tested for coronavirus on Tuesday morning, adding that she had not exhibited any symptoms before she passed away.

Born September 11, 1897, the Guinness World Records team were still in the process of verifying documents required before Lola could officially be declared the oldest living person at the time of her 124th birthday.

If she had been officially verified, Lola would have beaten the record previously held by France’s Jeanne Calment, who died at the age of 122 back in 1997.

That same month, Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes asked the House of Representatives to give a Lola a cash gift to mark her ‘monumental achievement’, intended to help her family over the course of the pandemic.

As per information given on the House website, the resolution was still pending with the committee on senior citizens at the time of Lola’s death.

As reported by Metro, Lola attributed her longevity to to eating a vegetable-based diet and abstaining from alcohol. She also claimed to have kept her lungs healthy by taking the time to play the harmonica every single morning.

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