A total of 2,955,456 indigent senior citizens across the country have received their social pension from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) Program for the first and second quarters of 2025, an agency official said on Monday (June16).
Director Edmond Monteverde of the DSWD’s Protective Services Bureau (PSB) said that as of May 31, a total of 2,204,434 seniors were able to receive their first quarter pension amounting to Php3,000 each, while another 751,022 older persons received Php6,000 covering both the first and second quarters.
“We want to ensure that our senior citizens, especially the indigent and vulnerable, are able to meet their basic daily needs through this support from the government,” Director Monteverde said.
As mandated by Republic Act 11916 also known as “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens”, indigent senior citizens, starting January 2024, are entitled to a monthly stipend of Php1,000, from the previous Php500 per month.
The social pension is given to eligible seniors, 60 years old and above who are frail, sickly, or with disability and without any pension from other government agencies.
“Sa tulong ng ating mga lokal na pamahalaan, sinisikap naming maibigay ang social pension nang maayos at naaayon sa tamang panahon upang matulungan ang ating mga lolo at lola sa kanilang pang-araw-araw na gastusin,” Director Monteverde pointed out.
One of the beneficiaries, Barcilisa Martinez, 67, from Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, who is also a person with disability due to complications from diabetes, expressed her gratitude to the DSWD for the financial support she received during one of the SPISC payouts conducted by DSWD Field Office Caraga.
“Malaking bagay na ito para sa akin. Salamat sa DSWD sa tulong, kahit maliit ay malaking tulong sa tulad kong masakitin. Ang mahalaga ay may tumutulong, may nakakaalala. Habang may buhay, may pag-asa,” a teary-eyed Nanay Barcilisa said.
Director Monteverde said the DSWD is continuously distributing social pensions to eligible beneficiaries to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of services to senior citizens. (YADP)