Senator Christopher “Bong” Go yesterday called for the urgent delivery of assistance to senior citizens amid the Luzon-wide lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Go appealed to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, other concerned agencies and local government units to implement the services needed d to provide additional support for senior citizens.
He cited government data indicating that majority of COVID-19 fatalities are elderly.
Because of their weak and compromised immune systems, they are more prone to respiratory infections.
Go, whose priorities include the welfare of one of the most vulnerable sectors in the society, would like the DSWD to implement social welfare and social protection programs and services by prioritizing the provision of the Social Pension for indigent senior citizens.
He also wanted help to Individuals in Crisis Situation, distribution of Food and Non-Food Items, and Sustainable Livelihood Programs to vulnerable sectors most affected by the enhanced community quarantine.
This is in addition to the sustained provision of food assistance and non-food essentials to the most affected families and individuals.
“Senior citizens shouldbe the priority here because we know they are weak, and they have difficulty in looking to look for food,” he said.
The monthly Social Pension amounts to P500 per indigent senior citizen to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs.
Considered as indigent senior citizens are those who are frail, sickly or with disability and without pension or permanent source of income of regular support from their relatives to meet their basic needs. Macon Araneta Ramos
The AICS is an integrated services program of DSWD to individuals and families in crises or difficult situations. This program should be used to provide financial assistance to affected families. FNI includes distribution of food packs and non-food essentials, such as toiletries.
The SLP is a capability-building program for the poor, vulnerable and marginalized households and communities. It is intended to help improve their socio-economic condition through livelihood assistance.
Through the SLP, Livelihood Assistance Grants may be distributed to recipients after the quarantine period as a way to cope with economic losses of affected families.
Go also identified some of the other vulnerable sectors that should also be prioritized in the provision of necessary assistance to affected Filipinos such as solo parents, indigent indigenous peoples, Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) and Transport Network Companies (TNC) drivers, and informal economy workers.
In order to avoid difficulties in the distribution of the relief assistance, given the travel restrictions imposed in Luzon and other areas in the country, Go is calling for door-to-door delivery of government aid, including the social pension for the indigent senior citizens. DSWD should be assisted by LGUs since the latter have the necessary database, according to the Senator.
In previous statements, Go has emphasized the need to give more focus to the senior citizens in the country.
Go also called on the government to also strengthen the implementation of Republic Act No. 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.”
Apart from the usual benefits of the senior citizens, indigent senior citizens are also “entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to five hundred pesos (P500) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs, in consultation with the DSWD.”
In addition, senior citizens are also entitled to free medical and dental services and diagnostic and laboratory tests. The law also provides that “the Department of Health shall also administer free vaccination against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizen patients.”
Senior citizens can also benefit from special discounts on basic commodities. It is subject to the guidelines set by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture.