ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development-6 (DSWD-6) now wants to continue its door-to-door payment of social pension for indigent senior citizens in Western Visayas after the successful pilot test recently in this city and three towns in the province.
Judith Marte, focal person of the Social Pension program said the scheme may be implemented in the whole region once proven that it is effective and more beneficial to the indigent senior citizens.
During the pilot test, the DSWD-6 tapped the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) to conduct the door-to-door delivery of social pension to several villages of this city and in the towns of Anilao, Calinog and Pavia.
A beneficiary Pacencia Gravino, 93, of Brgy. Tap-oc in Molo district of this city, thanked the DSWD’s door-to-door program, because she no longer have to go to the barangay gym and queue up to claim her pension, as in the past. Gravino is living with her jobless son Vicente, 52.
Data from the Philpost showed that out of the total 787 beneficiaries from the four pilot areas, 724 senior citizens were able to receive their grants of P1,500 each representing their stipend for the second quarter of this year.
A total of P1,086,000 cash was delivered to the beneficiaries. Of the 63 who did not receive their pension, 51 were deceased and 12 others have transferred residence to another place.
The provision of social pension for indigent senior citizens is mandated in Section 5 of Republic Act 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. It is an additional government assistance in the amount of P500 monthly stipend to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of elderly persons. (FREEMAN)