A government program that provides cash assistance to indigent elderly has given its beneficiaries great comfort knowing there is a pension they can count on in their twilight years.

The government’s Social Pension Program (Social Pension) implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development provides a monthly stipend  of P500 to indigent senior citizens as mandated by Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

For  Benedicto and Geronima Asis, social pensioners and residents of  Poblacion, Veruela, Agusan del Sur, the monthly pension they receive is an unexpected  blessing.  Their grandson Albert, who lives with the elderly couple, is thankful for the pensions of his sickly grandparents which he uses  to purchase their food and medicines.

“My grandparents are slowly getting stronger because we can already buy their medicines and give them nutritious food, vitamins, and milk,” relates Albert .

The priority beneficiaries of the Social Pension are senior citizens 77 years old and above who are frail, sickly and disabled, without a regular source of income and/or support from any member of the family, and not receiving other pension benefits from government and private agencies.

At 86, Apolinario Plaza, also from Agusan del Sur, is still active and articulate.  Although already in their dotage, Lolo Apolinario and his wife live by themselves. At his age, Lolo Apolinario still gardens, planting different kinds of vegetables on vacant land adjacent to their house.

“I plant vegetables so that I do not have to buy them anymore,” says Lolo Apolinario.. “I use my pension to buy food, medicine and milk and to pay our  laundrywoman.”

The elderly are generally thankful for the regular remittance  from government saying that  it is a big help in meeting their basic needs. “I do not have to ask for support from my children who have families of their own,” Lolo Apolinario says.

For her part, the enterprising Lola Gloria, 79 years old, from Limaha, Butuan City, uses part of her pension to fund her small poultry business.   Lola Gloria says she used her first pension to buy five hens to start her poultry which has since grown and keeps her busy.

At 114 years old, Lola Francisca M. Susano from Puerto Princesa City is the oldest recipient of the social pension.  She considers herself lucky, first because, at her age,  she is still strong,and second, she is a beneficiary of the SPP.   Lola Francisca lived alone until she turned 114,  and she moved in with one of her children.

“Before I became a pensioner, I preferred to live alone because I do not want to be a burden to my children who are also in difficult situations.  But when one of my children invited me to live with them, I did not hesitate anymore because I  know that even when I stay with them, I can still support my basic needs with the monthly pension that I receive. I can even share with them a little,” says Lola Francisca.

More happy pensioners

These are only some of the stories of  happy pensioners  around the country.  According to the DSWD, the program has allotted over P1.2 billion for some 185,914 senior citizens nationwide, of which 140,699 indigent senior citizens are currently receiving their monthly pension (as of  August 31, 2012).

The indigent senior citizens are identified through the DSWD’s National Household Targeting System.

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman says that the DSWD holds regular meetings with senior citizens’ groups, particularly the Confederation of Older Persons’ Association of the Philippines (COPAP) and the Coalition of Services for the Elderly (COSE), to address issues and concerns raised by seniors themselves and to ensure that the program is implemented effectively and efficiently. ###