From PHP500 per month, the social pension that indigent senior citizens will receive will be PHP1,000 this 2023. In a statement released by Finance Committee Chair Senator Sonny Angara on January 27, he reminded that Republic Act (RA) 11916 sets the 100 percent monthly pension of poor senior citizens—which will go from PHP500 to PHP1,000.
According to Angara, “Siniguro natin na mapopondohan sa 2023 budget ang pagtaas sa monthly social pension ng ating mga indigent senior citizen. Isinulong natin ang dagdag sa pension nila lalo na at ang mga lolo at lola na makikinabang dito ay wala talagang ipon o sustento galing sa kanino man.”
He stated that the additional pension will be used for their daily need and medicine.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will implement the additional pension, eligible senior citizens must have the following criteria:
- Frail, sickly or with disability
- Without pension from the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System or from any sources of pension in government and private agencies
- Without any permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from relatives to support their basic needs.
Implemented in 2010, the social pension for poor senior citizens is additional government assistance under RA 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizen’s Act.
*20-percent discount on the purchase of certain goods and services such as medicines,
*Special five-percent discount on prime commodities and basic necessities.
*Exemption from the value added tax on the sale of goods and services.
