BAGUIO CITY – More poor senior citizens in the region will benefit from the Social Pension Program of the government as the Department of Social Welfare and Development is set to expand its coverage this year.
Data from the DSWD-Cordillera revealed that some 2,762 senior citizens in CAR will be added to the existing 3,566 social pensioners bringing the total number to 6,328.
DSWD Regional Director Leonardo Reynoso said the 77% increase in the number of beneficiaries in CAR is part of program’s expansion to anestimated 1, 297,159 million poor elderly Filipinos nationwide (based on NHTS-PR data) that are qualified for social pension.
Pursuant to the Expanded Senior Citizen’s Act of 2010, the Social Pension Program for indigent senior citizens grants a qualified beneficiary of a 500-peso monthly stipend to augment daily subsistence and medical needs.
Reynoso explained that only the indigent senior citizens will be given social pension and not those who are pensioners of insurance providers such as the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, and other insurance services.
The SPP is set to release over 37.9 million pesos this year to cover the monthly stipend of the total social pensioners in the region.
Next month, the DSWD is set to release 9.4 million pesos for the first quarter stipend of the pensioners. The amount, according to Director Reynoso has already been released to the DSWD by the Department of Budget Management.
The regional program management is currently facilitating the preparation of payrolls for all 6,328 pensioners in Cordillera who are set to receive their cash stipends for the first quarter by February.
In 2011, during its first year of implementation, the program was able to release over 21.3 million pesos in grants for its beneficiaries.
The SPP is implemented in partnership with local government units, local social welfare offices, and the offices of senior citizens affairs.
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