By Jennifer P. Rendon
Thousands of elderly individuals who had been receiving financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 have been removed from the Social Pension Program’s list of beneficiaries.
Reports from DSWD-6 indicate that a total of 13,468 elderly beneficiaries were delisted for various reasons.
Among those removed, 1,327 were found to be receiving pensions from the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Additionally, 830 elderly individuals were discovered to be receiving an honorarium or salary, while 331 were found to be receiving regular support from their families.
Others were delisted due to death, transfer of residence, or because they could no longer be located.
DSWD-6 data shows that most of those who were delisted are from Iloilo, including Iloilo City, with 5,324 beneficiaries removed; Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, with 3,282; Capiz with 1,594; Aklan with 1,494; Antique with 1,308; and Guimaras with 466.
“This is why we are revalidating the list. We know there are more elderly individuals who need the pension,” said Atty. Carmelo Nochete, DSWD-6 regional director.
Nochete emphasized that there are senior citizens without families to support them and who also do not have pensions from SSS, GSIS, or other entities.
“These are the ones who should be prioritized under the Social Pension Program,” Nochete added.
Notably, indigent senior citizens are receiving double the amount of the pension they used to receive this year, an increase that took effect following the implementation of Republic Act 11916.
Under this act, the monthly allowance for indigent senior citizens was increased from P500 to P1,000.
RA 11916, formally titled “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens and Appropriating Funds Therefor,” amends Republic Act No. 7432, which aims to maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation-building while granting them benefits and special privileges.
The Social Pension Program provides additional government assistance to augment the daily subsistence and medical needs of indigent senior citizens, as stipulated in the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 or RA 9994.
GSIS, SSS Pensioners Ineligible
Nochete stressed that SSS, GSIS, or Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) pensioners, even those receiving minimal amounts, are not eligible to receive the DSWD pension, as this is explicitly stated in the guidelines.
Pensioners of SSS, GSIS, and PVAO are prohibited from receiving social pensions as stipulated under Memorandum Circular 06 Series 2024 (Enhanced Omnibus Guidelines in the Program Implementation of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens).
Reasons for removing a senior citizen from the DSWD’s Social Pension list include:
- Death of the beneficiary;
- Receiving a pension from SSS, GSIS, PVAO, AFPMBAI, or other insurance companies, including retirement, survivorship, and disability pensions;
- Having a regular income, salary, or financial support from family or relatives, including honorariums or grants from any agencies or institutions;
- Inability to be located at the last known address for two consecutive semesters; and
- Transfer of residence.
Nochete reiterated that the purpose of the program is to supplement the daily subsistence and medical needs of the beneficiaries, reduce hunger incidence among them, and mitigate neglect, abuse, or deprivation among indigent senior citizens.
