Indigent senior citizens can now receive their social pension on a monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly basis instead of the previous semestral or every six months payout.
DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao all DSWD Field Offices, through the regional directors, were directed to follow the new schedule of social pension payouts.
“This is to ensure that the social pension will be received by the beneficiaries more frequently rather than every six months only,” said Dumlao.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier said semestral payment of social pensions will no longer be allowed starting July 1.
“If monthly releasing of stipend is not feasible, the allowed frequency of payment shall only include bi-monthly and quarterly releasing. Semestral payment shall no longer be allowed effective July 1, 2024,” the DSWD chief’s memorandum read.
The DSWD Secretary’s directive also stated that the conduct of monthly releasing of stipend is exempted if majority of the beneficiaries are residing in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs); the province, city, or municipality is declared under state of calamity or under natural or human-induced crises such as armed conflict; and other unavoidable and uncontrollable circumstances and situations, subject to the validation of the respective field offices.
The Social Pension or SocPen is an additional government assistance under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 which provided for a monthly stipend amounting to P500 to indigent senior citizens as augmentation for their daily subsistence and medical needs.
Indigent senior citizens are now entitled to a monthly stipend of P1,000 from the previous P500 per month starting January.
Dumlao said the SocPen program is for indigent senior citizens who are frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs.
