Duterte, DSWD urged to release pensions of seniors in time for Xmas

MANILA, Philippines — The social pension of senior citizens for the months of July to December should be immediately released in time for Christmas, Senior Citizens Partylist Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes has said.

In a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte dated December 7, a copy of which was released to the media Friday, Ordanes said the immediate release of the pending undistributed social pension “will greatly alleviate the financial challenges that our millions of indigent senior citizens are facing, especially during the coming holiday season.”

Ordanes said the delay in the release of the social pension is “deeply troubling” since many senior citizens rely on this financial assistance for daily subsistence amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

At P500 per month, the total social pension for the months of July to December is P3,000 per pensioner.

In a separate statement, Ordanes said the release of the pension from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been mired in technical difficulties between the government agency, depositary banks, and electronic payment services providers.

“We are days away from Christmas and the end of this calamity-ridden year. Indigent seniors desperately need their social pension of P3,000 for the second half of 2020,” Ordanes said in the statement.

“I am puzzled as to why the release of the social pension is taking so long. I appeal to the DSWD, the banks, and the e-payments firms to please not worsen the suffering of the seniors,” he added.

Ordones said the release of the social pension could serve as the Christmas gift for senior citizens, as he called on provincial governors as well as city and municipal mayors to possibly provide additional assistance for the elderly.

READ: Solon urges immediate release of 2nd tranche of approved SSS pension hike

/MUF