DSWD urged to release social pension of elderly every quarter

MANILA – The House of Representatives is urging the Department of Social Welfare and Development to release the monthly social pension of senior citizens on a quarterly basis instead of the current semestral schedule.

During Tuesday’s plenary session, the chamber adopted House Resolution 2276, which stresses the need to provide senior citizens financial assistance as soon as possible amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez, one of the authors of the resolution, said an interval of six months within which to distribute the social pension for indigent senior citizens maybe more harmful than responsible.

“The deprivation or delayed administration of critical medicines to the citizenry, especially the elderly, has the potential to worsen existing medical conditions,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said as a result of lockdowns and quarantines in many parts of the country due to Covid-19, a large segment of the working population lost their jobs, depriving, especially those from the poor sector gainful employment and financial security, affecting elderly family members who are dependent on them for financial support.

“The lack of income or financial assistance to the elderly will push them down into poverty, which, coupled with lack of access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food, will lead to hunger and malnutrition,” he said.

Elderly beneficiaries are selected from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction and the list of identified senior citizens is then validated at the local level. However, Local Government Units (LGU) also accept applications at the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) for the benefit.

Potential beneficiaries are those aged 60 and older who are sick, frail or with a disability, without pension from  Government Service Insurance System, Social Security System, Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association Inc. and other insurance company, and no permanent source of income or regular support from his/her relatives.

Copies of the resolution shall also be furnished immediately to the National Commission of Senior Citizens, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, League of Provinces of the Philippines, League of Vice Governors of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, League of Cities of the Philippines, and Liga ng mga Barangay.