SOCIAL PENSION. Antique board member Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao sponsors the ordinance providing annual social pension to the elderly population 85 years old and above during their session on Monday (Nov. 13, 2023). Ladislao said the new ordinance provides sustainable funding support for indigent and non-indigent senior citizens in Antique. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Senior citizens 85 years old and above in Antique are entitled to an annual social pension as provided for in the amended version of the Elderly Welfare and Development Code of the province of Antique approved by the provincial board on Monday.
“In the new ordinance, there is now a provision for sustainable funding support for both the indigent and non-indigent elderlies,” board member Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao, sponsor of the ordinance that amended Provincial Ordinance number 144 creating the code, said during the session.
Plameras-Ladislao said the older version of the ordinance provided only a one-time social pension of PHP2,000 for 85 to 89 years old, PHP3,000 for 90 to 94 years old, PHP5,000 for 95 to 99 years old and PHP30,000 for 100 years old and above.
With the amendment, all elderly will receive a pension annually depending on their age bracket.
“The elderlies also should comply with the requirements to avail of the social pension such as the certificate of eligibility signed by the claimant assessed/interviewed by the social workers of the local government unit (LGU) or the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) and the certification of the Office of Senior Citizens Affair (OSCA) head on their residency,” she said.
The social pension will prioritize indigents or those in a crisis situation.
Upon complying with the requirements, the authorized representative can get the full stipend should the beneficiary dies any day within the year.
The requirements include the certificate of eligibility to claim signed by the OSCA and duly noted by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, death certificate and a photocopy of the OSCA identification card of the beneficiary, ID of the claimant and affidavit of adjudication.
The PSWDO record showed around 3,000 of the 72,028 total elderly population in the province are 85 years old and above and receiving a social pension from the provincial government.
The amended version will take effect in January 2024. (PNA)
