About P50 billion was allotted for the government pension of four million indigent senior citizens throughout the country.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released a total of P49.807 billion to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to cover the senior citizens’ government monthly allowance.
The DSWD’s social pension for indigent senior citizens (SPISC) program aims to improve the well-being of qualifying indigent senior citizens by supplementing their daily living and medical requirements, alleviating hunger, and protecting them from deprivation, neglect, or abuse.
A monthly stipend of P1,000 will be received by the beneficiaries of the SPISC program this year, as mandated by Republic Act No. 11916, which doubles the monthly pension for senior citizens from P500.
Eligible recipients must be 60 years old and above, frail and sickly, and without pensions from other government sources such as the Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Social Security System, and private insurance companies.
The law also requires the beneficiaries to not have a regular source of income or support from family or relatives to cover their basic needs.
The DBM released the entire budget to the DSWD in January this year and will be chargeable against the FY 2024 General Appropriations Act.
The budget for the SPIC Program is part of the allocations for the social services sector, which has a budget of P2.183 trillion or 37.9 percent of the 2024 National Expenditure Program.
“We recognize the challenges faced by the elderly and understand the importance of providing timely assistance to alleviate their hardships. The prompt release of this budget allows us to make a tangible difference in their lives,” Budget Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman said.
“Tugon din po ito sa direktiba ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. na patuloy na bigyang pagkalinga ang ating mga senior citizen [This is also a response to the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to continue to take care of our senior citizens],” she added.