by Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY, MAR. 7(PIA)---The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) thru the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in Dipolog City has started releasing the P500.00 monthly social pension for the indigent senior citizens in this city, Tuesday.
Mr. Roberto O. Maraguinot, Dipolog City OSCA Head said, more or less 296 indigent senior citizens in Dipolog City who are 77 years old and above are qualified to avail of the social pension program.
Maragunot said each beneficiary received P1,500.00 each, representing their monthly pension for the first quarter of 2012.
Under the guidelines, the monthly social pension is directly to be given to the beneficiary. However, due to health condition and of the distance of the residence of some of the beneficiaries from Dipolog City, Maraguinot said, OSCA, with proper authorization allows immediate relative to claim the pension of the beneficiary.
Under Republic Act 9994, also known the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, all indigent senior citizens (60 years old and above)are entitled to receive P500.00 monthly pension thru the Development of Social Welfare and Development.
It maybe recalled that the national government thru the DSWD has allotted Php1.2-billion for the social pension of the indigent senior citizens.
Last year, DSWD has released P694,177,000.00 for the social pension of some 126,558 indigent senior citizens throughout the country.
DSWD IX has an allocation of P21,295,000.00 for the identified 11,435 indigent senior citizens for 2011 and additional 2,762 beneficiaries for 2012.
As of February 20, 2012, a total of 126,558 indigent senior citizens or 91% of the 138,960 qualified beneficiaries for 2011 throughout the country have been receiving their P500.00 monthly social pension from the DSWD.(ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)
