DBM: Nearly P50B released for social pension of indigent senior citizens

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Friday it had released a total of P49.807 billion for the mandated monthly allowance of over four million indigent senior citizens across the country.

In a statement, the DBM said the amount was released to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), chargeable against the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), as early as January this year.

The Budget Department said the DSWD’s Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) Program aims to improve the well-being of qualifying indigent senior citizens by supplementing their daily living and medical requirements, alleviating hunger, and protecting them from deprivation, neglect, or abuse.

As mandated by Republic Act 11916, beneficiaries of the SPISC Program shall receive an increased monthly stipend of P1,000 this year. 

The law, enacted in July 2022, doubles the monthly pension for senior citizens from P500 to P1,000. 

The DBM said eligible recipients of the allowance must be 60 years old and older, frail and sickly, and without pensions from other government sources such as the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), Social Security System (SSS), and private insurance companies. 

Further, recipients should not have a regular source of income or support from family or relatives to cover their basic needs.

The Budget Department said this year’s allocation for the SPISC was higher than last year (P25.30 billion). 

“We recognize the challenges faced by the elderly and understand the importance of providing timely assistance to alleviate their hardships. The prompt release of this budget allows us to make a tangible difference in their lives,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman. — VBL, GMA Integrated News