Cordillera Administrative Region – As of 21 June 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO CAR) through the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) has already released a total of PhP 643,722,000.00 to 107,287 senior citizens in the region.
The first semester pay out covering January to June began in the region with around 109,244 active beneficiaries.
The breakdown per provinces are as follows: Benguet with 24,752, Abra with 23,073, Kalinga with 17,318, Ifugao with 15,953, Apayao with 11,186, Mountain Province with 10, 658 and Baguio with 6,304.
During the pay-out held in Baguio City, Salome Quintela, one of the beneficiaries expressed her gratitude to the Social Pension Program.
“Gusto ko pong kunin ito bilang isang opportunidad na magpasalamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Social Pension Program. Thank you po sa tulong na binibigay niyo sa kagaya namin na walang kakayanan sa buhay – lalo na po at walang magandang trabaho ang aking anak. Napakalaking tulong na po ito sa pangangailangan ko sa araw – araw at pambili ng gamot ko,” Quintela shared.
Additionally, Basilio Gayudan Atma, from Liwan, Rizal, Kalinga also expressed his thanks to the DSWD through the Social Pension Program.
Dakkel a panagyaman ko iti daytoy nga programa ta adda iti maawawat me nga bassit nga tulong ket isu ti us usaren me nga panggatang iti agas me ken daduma nga kasapulan iti kusina . (I am very thankful for this program as it helps us to have some money to buy our medicines and other things needed in the kitchen,” Atma gratefully remarked.
With the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11916 which stipulates that the stipend provided to indigent senior citizens should not be less than one thousand pesos (PhP 1,000.00) to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs, each beneficiary receives a PhP 1,000.00 monthly which total to twelve thousand pesos (PhP 12,000.00) in a year.
The Social Pension Program stands as a testament to the Government’s dedication to support the elderly, in accordance with the Republic Act No. 9994, otherwise known as “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.” This legislation mandates additional government assistance to empower indigent senior citizens with essential financial aid.
Senior citizens who do not claim their stipend for two consecutive pay-outs will be subject to delisting.
Meanwhile, the Social Pension pay-out will be conducted on a quarterly basis, effective 1 July 2024.#DSWD-CAR, Social Marketing Unit, Hazel Ann D. Buy-o.
