FAKE NEWS. NCSC Chairperson Franklin Quijano debunks information circulating on social media that the agency will be distributing up to PHP3,000 social pension for the elderlies. He said currently, it is the DSWD that distributes the pension for senior citizens. (Grabbed photo)
MANILA – The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) clarified they are not distributing pensions for senior citizens debunking several social media posts that the agency will be distributing up to PHP3,000.
In a public briefing on Thursday, NCSC Chairperson Franklin Quijano said it is still the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that currently distributes social pensions for senior citizens.
Republic Act 11916, or the Act Increasing The Social Pension Of Indigent Senior Citizens, lapsed into law last July 30, 2022
“We are really sad and sorry about this irresponsible information. The truth is, ang RA 11916 ay nag-i-increase from PHP500 to PHP1,000 ngunit sa ngayon, dahil ang batas ay klaro po na nagsasabi na within three years pa i-transfer ng DSWD ang trabaho sa NCSC, sa pamamahagi ng social pension, ang trabaho po ay nasa DSWD pa (The truth is RA 11916 provided an increase from PHP500 to PHP1,000 but for now, because the law is clear that the DSWD will transfer this work to the NCSC within three years, the responsibility is still with the DSWD),” Quijano said.
Quijano also clarified that there is no truth to the news circulating on social media that the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) will be placed under the NCSC.
“Ang isang pinalabas nila ay ang OSCA daw ay nasa ilalim ng NCSC, hindi po totoo iyan. Sa pagpasa ng Republic Act, wala pong binabanggit na ang OSCA ay mapasailalim ng DSWD man o NCSC. As usual ang OSCA po ay nasa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ng ating local chief executive -- ang mga alkalde, mga mayors ng mga lungsod at ng mga bayan (They are also saying that OSCA will now be under the NCSC. That is not true. When the Republic Act was passed, it was not mentioned that OSCA will be under DSWD or even NCSC. OSCA is under the local chief executives, the mayors of cities and towns),” he said.
Meanwhile, Quijano said that as stated under RA 11916, the NCSC is now in the process of finalizing the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law and that they are set to publish them on March 6.
He added they are also meeting with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian next week to discuss the transition.
“Ang una pong ita-transfer ay hindi ho ang social pension kung hindi ang centenarian na support. So, itong sa centenarian support ay ita-transfer sa NCSC ngayong taon na ito with the help of DSWD. In the case of the social pension, mayroon po tayong transitioning na ang DSWD at ang NCSC nag-agree for pilot areas. At may iilang rehiyon po na may pilot -- sa Region 2, sa Region 3, sa Region 8, Region 10 and Region 13. So ang pilot transfer po ay gagawin natin (First to be transferred is not the social pension but the centenarian support and it will be transferred to us this year with the help of the DSWD. In the case of the social pension, there is transitioning which was agreed upon by the DSWD and the NCSC on the pilot areas. There will be pilot areas in Regions 1, 3, 8, 10, and 13. The pilot areas will start) in the next several months with the support of DSWD),” he said.
On the issue of fake news, Quijano said they have already sought the help of authorities.
They are also appealing to those spreading fake news to stop and act responsibly. (PNA)
