BAGUIO CITY, Aug. 8 (PNA) — More than 60,000 indigent senior citizens (SC) in the Cordillera Region are recipients of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Social Pension Program (SPP), disbursing more than Php90 million in the first semester of 2015.
DSWD Regional Director Janet Armas, on Friday, said the SPP distribution was intended to augment the basic needs of the senior citizens, including medicine and other nutritional and health needs.
Qualified to receive the Php 500 monthly stipend are SCs who are frail, sickly, or have disabilities and those who are not receiving pension from Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Veterans pension, as well as those who do not have a permanent source of income or regular support from relatives.
The condition and status of the SC must be confirmed and attested to by the barangay SC coordinator to be able to avail of the DSWD-SPP.
The Province of Abra received the biggest amount with Php 23,938,500 for 16,060 SCs; Apayao received Php 8,629,500 for 5,708 SCs; Baguio City with Php928,500 for 625 elders; Benguet with Php17,195,000 for 11,474 SCs; Ifugao received Php15,844,500 for 10,569 SCs; Kalinga with Php10,866,500 for 7,258 SCs and Mountain Province with Php13,097,000 for 8,814 pensioners.
The administration of President Benigno Aquino III, through the DSWD, lowered the age qualification of indigent senior citizens who can receive the Php 500 monthly social pension as provided for by Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
Implemented this year, indigent senior citizens aged 65 and above will receive the Social Pension.
Armas said that with the lower age requirement, more economically disadvantaged SCs can have additional cash to spend for their basic needs such as medicines and nutritious food to support their well-being.
Qualified senior citizens were identified through the National Household Target System for Poverty Reduction of the DSWD.
The program is implemented in partnership with local government units, local social welfare offices, and the offices of senior citizens affairs.
The National Government has allocated Php 5.962 billion to benefit some 939,609 indigent senior citizens aged 65 and above for 2015.
The pension is distributed every quarter through cash payment by DSWD Field Offices or city/municipal social welfare and development offices.(PNA)