Stipends for poor seniors released

By Freddie G. Lazaro

VIGAN CITY— The Department of Social Welfare and Development  Region 1 office distributed a total of P20,344,500 stipend for a total of 13,563 indigent senior citizens in the four provinces of Ilocos region.

            According to DSWD Region 1 Director Marcelo Nicomedes J. Castillo, the release of the stipend to those covered by the Social Pension Program for senior citizen in 121 municipalities was completed in 17 days.

           

This was achieved by maximizing regular staff assigned to distribute the stipend in which each qualified senior citizen received P1,500 covering a three-month period from January to March this year, Castillo said.

            “The Social Pension Program aimed to assist all qualified indigent – senior citizens for their daily needs particularly on food and medicine,” he said.

            “However, there are 185 social pensioners who were not able to attend the scheduled release due to unavoidable circumstances and health conditions. With this, the Regional Social Pension Unit had already coordinated with concerned workers at the LGUs to inform the unpaid pensioners and re-schedule the release of their stipend,” he said.