TO AGREE. Release of the social pension for the elderly in Allen, northern Samar, in this undated photo. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already released PHP 65 million for poor elderly people in Eastern Visayas under the government’s social pension scheme. (Photo courtesy of DSWD Region 8)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already released PHP 65 million for poor elderly people in Eastern Visayas under the government’s social pension scheme.
Joshua Kempis, DSWD’s regional information manager, said in a telephone interview on Thursday that the amount only represents the allocation for the first quarter of 2022 across the region.
Of the 43,737 indigent elderly who received social pension in the region as of May 10, at least 20,415 are from Leyte, 3,799 from Biliran, 6,027 from Samar, 10,436 from Eastern Samar and 3,060 from Northern Samar.
“Each elderly person receives PHP 500 per month. The program aims to increase the daily subsistence and other medical care of our seniors. Regarding the timing of releases, we urge beneficiaries to coordinate with their local social welfare and development officers,” Kempis said in a phone interview.
Eligible to receive the grants are those aged 60 and over who are sick, frail, or disabled, without a pension from the Government Services Insurance System, Social Security System, Armed Forces, and Police Mutual Benefit Association Inc. .and other insurance companies .
Also eligible are those who do not have a permanent source of income or regular support from relatives.
Elderly beneficiaries are selected from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction and the list of identified elderly people is then validated at the local level.
However, local government units also accept applications to the Bureau of Elder Affairs for their benefit. (NAP)
