CAGAYAN VALLEY – True to its commitment to deliver government services to the most vulnerable sectors in the society, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 2 (DSWD F02), through the Social Pension Program, served stipends to 228,659 qualified indigent senior citizens for the first semester this year.

Out of the total target of 244,431 senior citizens from 93 municipalities in Cagayan Valley, 93.55% of the beneficiaries have received their stipends amounting to P1,500 per quarter or P3,000 per semester.

“More than the numbers that we deliver, our true accomplishment can be noted in the faces of the Lolos and Lolas who benefited from the program. The financial assistance helps them in their daily subsistence and needs,” said Regional Director Cezario Joel Espejo.

One of the beneficiaries, Elena Estrella, 99 years old and a resident of Baggao Cagayan, expressed her gratefulness to the program.

“Ang perang natanggap ko mula sa Social Pension ay malaking tulong at ginhawa para sa tulad kong senior citizen na walang inaasahan. Gagamitin ko ang perang ito pambili ng gamot at pagkain para ako ay lalo pang lumakas. Maganda ang programang ito ng DSWD sapagkat maraming katulad ko ang nakakaraos sa pang araw-araw na gastusin.”

Social Pension is a program for indigent senior citizens in the Philippines established by Republic Act No. 9994, commonly known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” which allows qualified beneficiaries to a Php500 monthly stipend to supplement their daily subsistence and other medical needs.

To date, the field office has already disbursed P685,977,000 out of the P1,466,586,000 fund allocation for 2022. Further, the office is currently preparing for the third quarter pay-out which will commence as early as third week of July.

Maagap at Mapagkalingang Serbisyo!