Over P1B disbursed for WV senior citizens’ social pension
❙
IL OIL O City–The Department of Social Welfare and Development ( DSWD) Region 6 6 has released more than P1 billion for the social pension of senior citizens for the first semester of 2024.
In Iloilo province, DSWD allocated P1,092,648,000 from January to June 2024.
The target beneficiaries for this semester number 385,954, of which 182,108 social pensioners have already been paid. The breakdown of target beneficiaries per province and highly urbanized city is as follows:
* Aklan – 46,148
* Antique – 41,972
* Capiz – 56,265
* Guimaras – 14,767
* Iloilo City – 13,676
* Iloilo – 152,748
* Bacolod City – 5,975
* Negros Occidental – 54,403
The number of senior citizens who have received their social pension for the first semester and the corresponding funds released are:
* Aklan – 26,005 or P156,030,000
* Antique – 22,687 or P137,268,000
* Capiz – 26,300 or P157,800,000
* Guimaras – 5,890 or P35,340,000
* Iloilo City – none
* I l oilo – 75,911 or P455,466,000
* Bacolod City – none
* Negros Occidental – 25,044 or P150,264,000
Marien Grace Tamonan, DSWD-6 Social Pension Section head, said 47.18 percent of the total target beneficiaries have already received their social pension of P1,000 per month or P6,000 for the semester covering January to June.
As of March 19, 182,108 social pensioners have been provided with their stipend, as announced during a “media writeshop” conducted by DSWD-6 led by Regional Director Carmelo Nochete, on Thursday, March 21, in Mandurriao district.
DSWD-6 aims to provide social pensions to the remaining senior citizens by May or June 2024. The following local government units (LGUs) have indigent senior citizens who have already received the stipend:
* Aklan – Balete, Banga, Batan, Ibajay, Madalag, Makato, Malay, Malinao, Nabas
* Antique – Anini-y, Barbaza, Belison, Bugasong, Caluya, Hamtic, Libertad, Pandan, Patnongon, Sebaste, Sibalom
* Capiz – Cuartero, Dao, Dumalag, Jamindan, Pilar, Panitan, President Roxas, Sapian, Tapaz
* Guimaras – Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo, Buenavista
* Iloilo – Leganes, Lemery, Lambunao, Mina, New Lucena, Pavia, Passi City, Sara, San Enrique, San Rafael, Santa Barbara
* Negros Occidental – Bago, Binalbagan, Don Salvador, Himamaylan, Hinigaran, Hinoba- an, I sabela, La Carlota, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Carlos, San Enrique, Valladolid, Talisay
Tamonan added that the payout process in various cities and municipalities is ongoing, with DSWD-6 personnel and concerned local governments leading the distribution of stipends to senior citizens.
To ensure that the rightful senior citizens become recipients and to reach the target number of senior citizens, major activities of their office, such as validation of potential beneficiaries, re-validation of active social pensioners, and social pension payout, are ongoing.
The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPICS) program, mandated by Republic Act 994 or the Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010, and Republic Act No. 1191, aims to provide additional government assistance of P1,000 to augment the daily expenses and medical needs of indigent senior citizens who are sick, disabled, have no regular income or support from family and relatives, and do not receive a pension from private or government institutions.
The SPICS program aligns with the government’s commitment to protect the most vulnerable sector through social protection./