Over 265K indigent elderly in WV receive social pension

A total of 265,119 indigent senior citizens in Western Visayas have already received their pension from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI.

Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said that a total of P795,357,000 was released to social pensioners as of May 18.

Macapobre said that each beneficiary received P3,000 stipend, covering the first semester of 2020 or for the months of January to June.

The agency has paid 39,836 senior citizens in Aklan; 31,744 in Antique; 45,358 in Capiz; 13,461 in Guimaras; and 24,140 in Negros Occidental; and 110,580 in Iloilo.

DSWD targets a total 365,908 indigent elderly beneficiaries in the region.

She added that DSWD has tapped the help of Local Government Units in the distribution of the social pension to ensure its speedy distribution during the community quarantine.

Macapobre likewise emphasized that a social pensioner, who serves as the head of the family, is still qualified to receive the agency’s social amelioration program (SAP) assistance.

“Our indigent seniors are still qualified to receive SAP on top of their pension because it is their right. Social pension is a rights-based grant as provided by RA 9994 for senior citizens,” she stated.

Social pension is a regular program implemented by DSWD as part of the state’s commitment for the protection of elderly embodied in Republic Act No. 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.”

The program is intended for senior citizens who are frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs.

“While SAP caters to families, Social Pension provides for our indigent senior citizens. Kaya yung mga senior citizens na hindi naabot ng SAP kasi mag-isa silang namumuhay, may Social Pension pa rin sila sa panahon ng krisis na ito,” the regional director further stressed.

Under Social Pension, qualified indigent senior citizens receive a monthly stipend of P500 released per semester at P3,000 or a total of P6,000 per year.

Meanwhile, Macapobre said the distribution of social pension in various LGUs is still ongoing. (DSWDFO-6)