Social Pension for Antiqueño senior citizens released amid Covid-19 crisis

Up to 40,440 senior citizens in Antique will receive their social pension as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) released the amount of P121,320,000 last week. This release has been done in line with the Special Guidelines on the Provision of Social Measures by the DSWD to the Affected Residents of the Areas Under Community Quarantine and Continuation of the Implementation of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens and the Supplementary Feeding Programs.

As the principal author of the RA 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2009, Legarda hopes that the social pension will ease the burden of indigent senior citizens amid this Covid-19 crisis and will augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs.

“It is our responsibility in the government to provide timely social assistance to our senior citizens in need, especially in this time of crisis,” Legarda stated.

The 18 municipalities will receive social pension with the corresponding beneficiaries: Anini-y with 2,173; Barbaza with 2,024; Belison with 890; Bugasong with 2,763; Caluya with 1,154; Culasi with 3,459; Hamtic with 3,281; Laua-an with 2,552; Libertad with 1,665; Pandan with 3,199; Patnongon with 2,896; San Jose with 1,006; San Remigio with 2,504; Sebaste with 1,437; Sibalom with 3,356; Tibiao with 2,185; Tobias Fornier with 2,236; and Valderrama with 1,660 beneficiaries.

Release of social pension in Belison and Tibiao is scheduled on April 27; Laua-an on April 28-29; Tibiao on April 27-29; and Barbaza on April 29-30. Schedule for other municipalities will be further announced by DSWD.

“I laud the DSWD for facilitating the release of the social pension of our indigent senior citizens. This assistance is very timely for our lolos and lolas so they have additional funds to buy their essentials, such as medicines and daily food as we face these trying times,” Legarda concluded.

Inday Loren has been closely coordinating with DSWD, both national and regional offices, to keep the pension updated, amid previous appeals of the senior citizen sector.