Starting from the previous PHP500, eligible senior citizens will now receive a monthly pension of PHP1,000 from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Social Pension program. This announcement was made by Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez on January 22, 2024, through the agency’s official Facebook account.
Lopez stated, “We expect that the distribution of the social pension for the first semester with its increased amount will commence this February 2024. The funds increasing the monthly stipend for social pensioners were already approved and included in the 2024 budget of the agency.”
The PHP1,000 pension for economically disadvantaged senior citizens is mandated under Republic Act 11916, also known as the “Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens.” RA 11916 became a law in July 2022, resulting in a 100 percent increase in the monthly pension for indigent senior citizens, doubling it from PHP500 to PHP1,000.
The monthly social pension is provided to eligible beneficiaries, including those with illnesses, disabilities, no permanent livelihood source, and lacking family support. Lopez further explained that a senior citizen qualifies for the program if they do not receive a pension from the following sources:
Currently, the social pension program covers 4,085,066 indigent senior citizens for the current year, who will now receive their increased monthly stipend.
- Social Security System (SSS)
- Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)
- Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO)
- Armed Forces and Police Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (AFPMBAI)
- Iba pang private insurance company.
