DSWD hopeful of bigger funding for indigent senior pension

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is hopeful that Congress will approve the additional funding for its Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Program in the proposed national budget for 2024.

According to DSWD Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez, the Department of Budget and Management had proposed P49.81 billion for the social services sector to fund the increase in the implementation of the program.

He said that doubling the allotted amount of P25.30 billion in the 2023 General Appropriations Act is the “realization of Republic Act (RA) No. 11916 or an Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens.”

RA 11916 provides for the 100 percent increase in the monthly pension of indigent senior citizens from P500 to P1,000.

“The DSWD continues to push for the increase of the amount of social pension to help indigent seniors cushion the impact of higher prices of fuel, goods and to keep up with the global inflation,” he noted.

Lopez added the approval of the funding will ensure that programs and services for senior citizens will “significantly impact the lives of the beneficiaries.”