The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) has shortened the processing of cash gift applications from 56 days to 20 days, and is considering tapping senior citizens themselves to help address manpower shortages in validating claims.
NCSC Chairperson Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez said Friday the faster processing period would apply to applications with complete requirements that have undergone proper validation.
“Ngayon ay shinorten na natin iyong dati na mga 56 days, shinorten na natin sa 20 days (We have now shortened the previous 56-day processing period to 20 days),” Gutierrez said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
She said applications still have to be checked for duplicate claims and the eligibility of beneficiaries before payments are released.
The NCSC has been accelerating cash gift distribution following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to speed up payments to qualified senior citizens aged 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100 under Republic Act 11982, or the Expanded Centenarians Act.
Gutierrez said manpower remains one of the challenges, particularly in the National Capital Region, where only around four to five personnel are handling validation work.
The commission has been augmenting its workforce through the Department of Labor and Employment’s Government Internship Program and on-the-job trainees from colleges and universities.
It is also exploring the possibility of engaging senior citizens through DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to assist in validation and other suitable tasks.
“Gustung-gusto ng ating mga senior citizens na makatulong sa validation at kung anuman ang puwede nilang maitulong sa komisyon – gusto pa nilang magtrabaho, gusto pa nilang kumita, to be productive and independent (Our senior citizens are very willing to help in validation and whatever work they can do for the commission – they still want to work, earn and remain productive and independent),” Gutierrez said.
She said the commission is also simplifying documentary requirements for elderly applicants who have difficulty producing birth certificates.
NCSC coordinates with local Offices for Senior Citizens Affairs and the Philippine Statistics Authority to verify applications, while other documents may be considered when civil registry records are unavailable.
Gutierrez said senior citizens with verified digital IDs obtained through eGovPH would no longer be required to separately submit a birth certificate because their information has already undergone government verification.
The NCSC has also partnered with Land Bank of the Philippines to allow beneficiaries to open no-fee PISO accounts where approved cash gifts may be deposited directly, reducing the need to wait for scheduled physical payouts.
For 2025, Gutierrez said 95,464 beneficiaries aged 80; 64,464 aged 85; 22,682 aged 90; and 1,240 centenarians received their cash gifts.
“So, ngayon tuluy-tuloy naman at tuluy-tuloy din ang pag-distribute na pinamadali mula nitong September 2 (Now, processing continues and distribution has also been accelerated since Sept. 2),” she said. (PNA)
