SENIORS DELISTED

Some seniors were removed from DSWD’s social pension program in Davao City as they are receiving pension from other institutions

We will conduct on the spot sweeping operation by the use of canine dogs (on the passengers’ baggage) to ensure that no drugs (coming from here will be distributed to the different provinces).

ANTONIO RIVERA

Regional Director of Pdea 11

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 delisted some of the senior citizens in the social pension program for the indigent seniors as they found out that they were already receiving pension from other institutions.

“This program is intended to indigent senior citizens, ‘pag muingon ta ug indigent, kadto ning wala gyud. Those with no pensions from the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and other pensions from the government or private (This program is intended for the indigent senior citizens, those who really have nothing, those who are not receiving any pension from the SSS, GSIS, and others),” Rebecca Santamaria, assistant regional director of DSWD 11, said yesterday, October 29, 2018, during the flag ceremony.

Santamaria revealed that some of the senior citizens who were delisted were angry but that they can do nothing about it since the program is intended only for those with no regular income, those with no regular support from the family.

“But this program is called the social pension program of the government,” she said, adding that this is the people’s money and they should give it back to them.

Meanwhile, the city government of Davao received a total of P87.2 million from the DSWD for the program’s third quarter budget.

City Social Service and Development Office (CSSDO) head Malou Bermudo also said in an interview that there will be another budget that will be downloaded to the city for the fourth quarter allocation.

“Katong gi-download sa DSWD, ikaduha na ni siya nga higayon na ilang gi-download nga benepisyo sa pension (What the DSWD downloaded was the second one. It is for the benefits of the senior citizens’ pension),” Bermudo said, adding that there are 58,163 beneficiaries listed.

She further said that the beneficiaries will receive P1,500 each per month out of the allocated budget.

SUNSTAR PHOTO / MARK PERANDOS INSPECTION. Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) 11 personnel inspect the franchise and the condition of the buses inside the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) in Candelaria Street, Davao City yesterday. The inspection was part of the Undaspot-Ligtas Byahe 2018 of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and its partners.