These days are the most difficult days of our lives. The pandemic left us all in a swirl with seemingly no end in sight. Since the declaration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) last March 17, 2020 until at present, the vulnerable sectors were forced to stay at home despite the changes in the mobility restrictions. Among these are our elders belonging to the Senior Citizen sector. They are the most vulnerable, thus facing the most threats and challenges at this time.
The government however, sees to it that they are not left behind in their comprehensive response to the pandemic. During these times of isolation and quarantine, older people need safe access to their basic needs like food, supplies, medicine, and money in order to support their physical health and social care.
Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens
Social Pension or SocPen is a program for Indigent Senior Citizens in the Philippines under Republic Act No. 9994 or the “expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010” which entitles a qualified beneficiary to receive a monthly stipend of Php500 per month to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs being released on a semestral basis amounting to Php3,000.
Unexpected retro payment
An overjoyed beneficiary expressed her heartfelt thanks to DSWD for the Php12,000 worth of stipend released to her this payout. According to Mrs. Amada F. Sale, a resident of Pinaglabanan, Goa, Camarines Sur, she was only expecting Php3,000.00 for this 2nd semester payout.
“Ang paghuna ko 3,000 sana ang mareresibe ko”, (I thought I was only going to receive 3,000) she said happily.
Mrs. Sale is among the beneficiaries validated in 2020 of which payments for the previous semesters were released retroactively covering four (4) semesters.
“Nabigla ako na Php12,000 ang nirelease sakuya. Ugmahun ako na maray ta dakulaun na tabang ini sa sakong pagbuhay” (I was surprised to receive 12,000. I am overjoyed because this is a great help for me), she further expressed.
According to Mrs. Sale, she will use her pension for her daily sustenance like food and drink for nourishment, maintenance medicines, and purchase of other basic needs.
“Dakulaun na tabang samo na mga Senior ang Social Pension, kaya grabe ang pasalamat ko na nakabale ako sa programa na ini kang gobyerno sa paagi kang DSWD” (The Social pension of the government thru DSWD is indeed a great help for us Seniors and I am very thankful that I qualified as a beneficiary of the program) she gladly added.
Adherence to Health Protocols
2,675 Social Pension beneficiaries of Goa, Camarines Sur received their stipends, and 99 of these were beneficiaries who were validated last 2020 and were able to receive Php12,000 each for the 4 semesters of payouts (2020-2021).
DSWD assures the public of the most efficient way of delivering the services to our elderlies via offsite payment through our Special Disbursing Officers (SDOs) and paymasters, and guarantees that social distancing measures and other safety protocols are strictly observed. The Department strongly encourages the beneficiaries who still have with them relatives to send them as their authorized representatives instead of claiming their pensions themselves.