The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Caraga (DSWD-13) said 155,328 indigent senior citizens in the region have benefited from the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program during the first half of 2021.
Marko Davey Reyes, information officer of DSWD-13, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday that the validation of the list of indigent beneficiaries will continue for the succeeding payout.
A total of PHP465,984,000 pension was already released to the elderly who are entitled to PHP500 monthly.
“The distribution of the pension for the second semester is still ongoing. We have an allocation of PHP268,503,000 for the remaining beneficiaries of the program,” Reyes said.
DSWD-13 has a total of 171,028 beneficiaries from Dinagat Islands (11,494); Surigao del Norte (33,799); Surigao del Sur (42,329); Agusan del Norte (39,194); and Agusan del Sur (44,212).
Among the beneficiaries was 79-year-old Florentino Aldaya from the hinterland of Barangay Sua, Barobo in Surigao del Sur.
Aldaya said the PHP3,000 cash will help him purchase his needs.
“Mapasalamaton ko sa balaod sa gobyerno nga tabangan ang mga seniors. Gitabangan ko nila nga mutaas pa akong kinabuhi. Natuman gyud akong pag-ampo nga matabangan ko (I am thankful to the government’s extension of aid, especially in helping the senior citizens. It helped me live a longer life. The program is an answer to my prayers),” Florentino said in the vernacular, as quoted by a DSWD-13 staff who handed him the money last month. (PNA)
