The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 5 (Bicol) has disbursed PHP465 million for the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SocPen) program in the region.

In an interview on Thursday, Cristina Llena, DSWD-5 SocPen focal person, said the amount was received by more than 155,292 elders from January to September this year.

“For the October to December or the 4th quarter, ongoing payouts were being conducted in various local government units (LGUs). Transfer of funds to LGUs was also ongoing since they will do the payout for easier distribution. Before, the payout for the senior citizens’ pensions was by semester or two times a year, but it was shifted back to quarterly or four times a year,” she explained.

Based on DSWD data as of Nov. 27, the senior citizens served per province include Albay, with 38,503 beneficiaries (PHP115.5 million); Camarines Norte, with 13,852 beneficiaries (PHP41.5 million); Camarines Sur, with 45,176 beneficiaries (PHP135.5 million); Catanduanes with 10,606 beneficiaries (PHP31.8 million); Masbate, with 9,474 beneficiaries (28.4 million); and Sorsogon, with 37,681 beneficiaries (PHP113.04 million).

Llena also encouraged other LGUs in Bicol to replicate the SocPen program to accommodate other senior citizens who are not included as beneficiaries in the program.

“The other LGUs are doing a great help of providing the same program for our elders; since not everyone is included in the DSWD SocPen program, they can provide competent assistance to our seniors,” she said.

Llena added that an available slot would open if discrepancies in the documents were discovered, if the senior citizen moved to other regions, also been a beneficiary of another government social pension, or at the time of death.

She also said DSWD personnel continue to conduct house-to-house visits to ensure the information provided during the application was accurate.

“We need to confirm and validate all the information of the senior citizens during the application. During profiling, we could assess the actual situation and status of the elder before being a beneficiary of the SocPen program,” she noted.

Llena said eligible beneficiaries are indigent senior citizens without a regular income, financial support from family, or pensions from the Social Security System or other institutions.

“They receive PHP1,000 per month or PHP12,000 per year to aid their basic needs,” she said. (PNA)