Over 3.7 million indigent senior citizens nationwide have received their social pension in the first half of 2024, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said on Wednesday.

“The DSWD has disbursed a total of PHP21.8 billion for the first half of 2024 to some 3,723,323 indigent senior citizens nationwide. This year, the department started to distribute the increased pension of PHP1,000 from PHP500,” Dumlao said in a news release.

The Social Pension (SocPen) is a program under Republic Act No. 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010” which provides a monthly stipend amounting to PHP500 to indigent senior citizens to augment their daily subsistence and medical needs.

As mandated by Republic Act 11916 also known as “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens”, which lapsed into law in July 2022, indigent senior citizens are now entitled to a monthly stipend of PHP1,000 from the previous PHP500 per month starting January 2024.

These SocPen are being distributed on a semestral basis at PHP6,000 per semester or PHP1,000 per month for a period of six months.

“Seniors who are qualified to receive social pension are any elderly, aged 60 years old and above who are frail, sickly or with disability and without any pension from other government agencies,” Dumlao said.

Also eligible to receive social pensions are seniors without a permanent source of income and source of financial assistance or compensation to support their basic needs, Dumlao added. (PNA)