More than 3.7 million indigent senior citizens nationwide have received their social pension from January to June of 2024, a senior official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday (July 17).

“The DSWD has disbursed a total of Php22.3 billion for the first half of 2024 to some 3,723,323 indigent senior citizens nationwide. This year, the Department started to distribute the increased pension of Php1,000 from Php500,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

The Social Pension or SocPen is a program under Republic Act No. 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010” which provides a monthly stipend amounting to Php500 to indigent senior citizens to augment their daily subsistence and medical needs.

As mandated by Republic Act 11916 also known as “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens”, which lapsed into law in July 2022, indigent senior citizens are now entitled to a monthly stipend of Php1,000, from the previous Php500 per month starting January 2024.

It is distributed on a semestral basis at Php6,000 per semester or Php1,000 per month for six (6) months.

“Seniors who are qualified to receive social pension are any elderly, aged 60 years old and above who are frail, sickly or with disability and without any pension from other government agencies,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.

According to Asst. Sec. Dumlao, seniors without a permanent source of income, source of financial assistance or compensation to support their basic needs are also eligible to receive the social pension. #