Lola Julita accepts her social pension worth P1,500 from the government (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO).
Lola Julita Plarisan, Lolo Celestino Vaflor and Lolo Emiliano Masayon of Barangay Sto. Niño, Toledo City were all happy when they received the social pension from the Department of Social Welfare and Development through door-to-door delivery.
Social pension refers to the monthly stipend of P500 to indigent senior citizen.
Beginning this pay-out for the third quarter, social pensioners receive the money right at their door steps.
“Dako akong kalipay nga gihatod na gyud sa balay ang hinabang sa goberno. Kining hanap na akong panan-aw, maglisod na gyud ko’g lakaw (I am happy that my social pension is now delivered in the house. My eyes cannot clearly see now, it would be hard for me to go out),” said Lolo Emiliano, 96.
Lolo Celestino, who at 85 years old still tends the farm as tenant-farmer, also expressed elation to the new payment scheme.
“Gawas nga lisod na para kanako nga tigulang na, di na usab kami mogasto sa pamasahe paglugsong sa syudad aron mokuha sa kwarta (I am happy that our pension is now delivered door-to-door because it is already hard for me to go down to the city and I do not have to spend for the fare anymore),” said Celestino.
Lola Julita, 84, said the new scheme helps her a lot because she no longer has to travel to the city.
The social pension is given to senior citizens every quarter to augment the beneficiaries’ capacity to meet their daily subsistence and medical needs, reduce the incidence of hunger and protect them from neglect, abuse or deprivation.
The social pension is given to 60 years old and above who are frail, sick or with disability and without pension from the GSIS, SSS or AFPMBAI and other private insurance company, no permanent source of income or regular support from relatives to meet their basic needs.
At present, Region VII has a total of 57,567 senior citizens who are receiving the stipend of P500 per month or P1,500 per quarter.