By Junex Doronio
MANILA — A total of P21.8 billion in social pensions has been given to over 3.7 million indigent senior citizens nationwide from January to June 2024, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) disclosed on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
“The DSWD has disbursed a total of P1.8 billion for the first half of 2024 to some 3,723,323 indigent senior citizens nationwide. This year, the Department started distributing the increased pension of P1,000 from P500,” said Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson.
The Social Pension (SocPen) program, under Republic Act No. 9994, or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” provides a monthly stipend of P500 to indigent senior citizens to help with their daily subsistence and medical needs.
As mandated by Republic Act 11916, also known as “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens,” which became law in July 2022, indigent senior citizens are now entitled to a monthly stipend of P1,000, up from the previous P500 per month, starting January 2024.
The pension is distributed on a semestral basis at P6,000 per semester, or P1,000 per month for six months.
“Seniors who qualify to receive social pensions are those aged 60 years and above who are frail, sickly, or with disabilities and without any pension from other government agencies,” Dumlao pointed out.
She added that senior citizens without a permanent source of income, financial assistance, or compensation to support their basic needs are also eligible to receive the social pension.
(el Amigo/mnm)
