The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 ( Davao Region) announced Tuesday that they began distributing the fourth quarter social pension to indigent seniors in this city and Davao Occidental province.
During the first week of the payout from Oct. 13 to 17, the agency said about 20,000 indigent senior citizens received PHP3,000 each in financial assistance for October, November, and December.
“This is equivalent to PHP1,000 per month. The purpose of this program is to help purchase food, medicine, and other needs of the beneficiaries,” the agency said in a statement.
DSWD-11 noted that despite ongoing aftershocks felt throughout the region, they continue to provide assistance, especially to impoverished senior citizens.
The Social Pension Program is a government initiative for impoverished senior citizens who lack a steady income or family support.
“With this program, DSWD-11 shows concern for the welfare of the elderly in the region,” the agency said.
The program provides a monthly stipend of PHP1,000 to qualifying indigent seniors aged 60 and above.
To be eligible, an individual must be frail, sickly, or have a disability and lack a regular income source or pension from government agencies, such as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS), or the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).
The program aims to assist with daily living and medical expenses, reduce hunger, and protect seniors from neglect, abuse, and deprivation. (PNA)