“We respect the right of the senior citizens to form organizations and become members of these groups. However, we want to clarify that DSWD does not require membership to any organization for one to avail of the Social Pension program,” said Regional Director Ma. Evelyn B. Macapobre.

The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens refers to the provision of monthly stipend amounting to P500 per month or a total of 3,000 per semester (P6,000 per year) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of indigent senior citizens.

This is in line with the fulfillment of the government to the most vulnerable sector through social protection, and for the full implementation of RA 9994 otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

Those eligible to the program include:

• Those 60 years old and above,

• frail, sickly, or with disability

• No pension from GSIS, SSS, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFPMBAI) or any other insurance company;

• No permanent source of income; and

• No regular support from family or relatives for his or her basic needs

“These are the only eligibility criteria for the Social Pension program. Nobody can compel the elderly to join an organization for the sake of receiving the pension,” said Director Macapobre.

In Western Visayas, there are 365,908 elderly beneficiaries who are receiving the pension.

For the second semester, so far, 72 percent of the beneficiaries were already paid (as of November 16).

“We are optimistic that we will be able to complete the payout before the year ends,” said Director Macapobre./dswd6