A House of Representatives’ panel on Thursday adopted a resolution urging the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to release the monthly social pension of senior citizens every three months instead of the current schedule of every six months.
The Special Committee on Senior Citizens, chaired by Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes, adopted House Resolution 1047, which states that indigent senior citizens need financial assistance at the soonest time amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, the author of the resolution, said the pandemic caused the displacement of many Filipino workers, including senior citizens who are still productive members of society.
“The COVID-19 pandemic affected and disrupted the lives of all Filipinos during the first half of 2020 with the end to this pandemic still nowhere in sight as the number of cases still continue to increase,” Rodriguez said.
He said waiting every six months to receive assistance is too long for the indigent senior citizens.
Under Memorandum Circular No. 4, series of 2019, it is provided that the release of the monthly social pension at P500 per beneficiary will be done every six months or P3,000 per semester.
The panel also acted on House Resolution 656, which calls to investigate, in aid of legislation, the alleged anomalous and illegal delay or lack of disbursement of the social pension fund to senior citizens.
Ordanes reported that his office has received numerous complaints from indigent senior citizens who have been deprived of their pension due to the immense delay in their disbursement.