Senior citizens to receive delayed social pension from 2019 soon — solon

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens who have yet to receive their social pension from 2019 will receive them soon, a lawmaker bared Thursday.

In a video message, Senior Citizens party-list Representative Francisco Datol Jr. said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will download the delayed social pension of senior citizens for distribution.

Indigent seniors get P500 per month in a social pension.

Datol likewise said that six months’ worth of the same pension for 2020 will also be released soon.

The lawmaker then advised senior citizens to wait for the announcement of the actual disbursement of the pension.

“‘Yun naman pong advance ng budget ng 2020, anim na buwan ang hintayin niyo, pagsasabayin na yun ng DSWD. Ito ay mga kahalingin ko na natupad na,” Dato said.

(With regard to the advance budget for 2020, just wait for six months. DSWD will release them all at once. These are our requests that have been granted.)

In 2019, many senior citizens reported that they have not received their social pension from 2019.

Citing the DSWD, Datol said that the seniors’ database underwent verification upon orders of President Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Senior citizens told: Cash aid payout may be delayed due to social pensioners’ list updates

Meanwhile, Datol also advised senior citizens to stay at home amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

“Kaya naman sa sandaling ito, maghintay-hintay kayo at yung mga senior citizen na hindi pa dinadapuan ng mga biyaya, i-text lang ninyo sa atin dito sa Kongreso o sa aking email. Tandaan niyo, mabibiyayaan ang hindi pa nabibiyayaan,” the lawmaker said.

(Just wait and for senior citizens who have yet to receive the blessing, just message us here in Congress or through my e-mail.)

READ: Senior citizens with pension excluded from social amelioration program