SOCIAL PENSION. First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian lead the ceremonial payout of social pension for indigent senior citizens at the agency’s Central Office in Batasan, Quezon City on Friday (Feb. 2, 2024). The payout is part of the Department’s 73rd Founding Anniversary and marks the start of the implementation of the increased pension for indigent seniors. (Photos courtesy of DSWD)
MANILA – First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Friday led the ceremonial payout of the increased social pension for indigent senior citizens at the agency’s Central Office in Batasan, Quezon City.
This payout for the first batch of indigent seniors from Quezon City also marked the culmination of the DSWD's 73rd Founding Anniversary.
Gatchalian emphasized that the social pension payout for older persons is the Marcos administration’s way of recognizing the significant role of senior citizens, both in their family and society.
“Alam ko na marami sa inyo na bagamat may edad na ay patuloy na naglalagay ng pagkain sa hapag, patuloy na nagtatrabaho para matustusan ang mga pangangailangan ng pamilya. Higit sa lahat alam ko na marami sa inyo ay kayo pa rin ang nagpapalaki ng inyong mga apo dahil busy sa trabaho ang inyong mga anak. Iyan ang mga kwento ng sakripisyo na gusto naming parangalan ngayon araw (I know that many of you, despite your age, continue to put food on the table, persistently working to provide for the needs of your families. Above all, I am aware that many of you are the ones raising your grandchildren because your children are busy with work. These are the stories of sacrifices that we want to honor today),” Gatchalian said in his speech.
Under the ”Bagong Pilipinas”, he said senior citizens’ welfare is a priority, and that they will never be left behind.
“Yan ang kabilin-bilinan ng ating mahal na Pangulo at ng ating Unang Ginang na kasama natin ngayong umaga (That’s the directive of our President and our First Lady who joined us this morning),” Gatchalian said.
In her message, the First Lady, the event’s guest of honor, underscored the role of the social workers, which she referred to as “the heart and soul of the DSWD”, in the development, implementation, and delivery of social protection and welfare services to the most vulnerable and marginalized sectors.
“Your empathy in action, integrity in service, and unity in community are the guiding principles that make the DSWD an invaluable force for good in our nation,” she said.
Addressing the senior citizens present in the payout, First Lady Araneta-Marcos said: “So, sa mga lolo at lola diyan [So, to all the seniors out there], you are in good hands with DSWD”.
Some 250 indigent senior citizens from different barangays in Quezon City received their social pension for the first semester of 2024 worth PHP6,000, which was personally handed out by the First Lady and the DSWD Secretary.
Republic Act No. 11916 or an Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens which lapsed into law in July 2022, provides for a 100 percent increase in the monthly pension of indigent seniors from PHP500 to PHP1,000 to further help the vulnerable sector cushion the impact of high inflation.
Social pension beneficiary Nanay Rosita Lopez, 71, from Barangay Batasan Hills, said she is thankful for the additional amount of pension from the government.
“Masaya po ako na nadagdagan ang aming social pension. Malaking tulong siya sa aming mahihirap (We are happy that the social pension has increased. It's a significant help to us who are in need),” Nanay Rosita said.
Nanay Rosita said she uses her pension for their daily needs, such as food as well as water and electricity bills.
Meanwhile, Gatchalian assured senior citizens that the increased pension is just the first of the many plans of the current administration to protect their welfare and well-being.
“Sa katunayan, itong isang libo kada buwan ay pauna pa lamang sa marami pang programa na inilalatag at iniisip na ng ating Pangulo at ng ating Unang Ginang upang mapakita pa ng husto ang kanilang pagmamahal para sa ating mga lolo at lola (In fact, this PHP1,000 per month is just the beginning of other programs that our President and our first lady are considering and laying out to more fully demonstrate their love for our older persons),” he said.
The monthly social pension for seniors is given to qualified beneficiaries on a semestral basis with a total amount of PHP6,000 per payout to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs.
Some 4,085,066 indigent senior citizens are covered by the social pension program for the year 2024. (PNA)
