MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos said the number of senior citizens waitlisted for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) social pension program is now at around 466,000.
“Dati ay 228,000 ang waitlisted. Ngayon 466,000 na. Lumolobo nga eh. Dumadami,” Marcos, sponsor of DSWD’s 2024 budget, disclosed during the Senate’s Thursday plenary debates on the national budget.
Previously there were 228,000 who were waitlisted. Now it’s at 466,000. It’s increasing.)
DSWD’s social pension program for indigent senior citizens is an additional government assistance mandated by the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2022.
Under the measure, indigent senior citizens are entitled to a monthly allowance of P500.
According to the senator, from P25 billion, the appropriations for the program has doubled to P50 billion next year.
“Marami pang hindi mabibigyan. There are many waitlists and the backlog will probably reach P5 billion,” she explained.
Marcos later on called on the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to grant the release of P3 billion unprogrammed funds for DSWD’s social pension initiative.
“Sabihin ko na — talagang kinakatok na namin ang DBM at talagang kinakatok na namin ang lahat. Sana tulungan niyo na mabuo ito kasi pagpapahalaga ito sa pinakamahalagang sektor ng lipunan – ang ating mga lolo at lola,” she said.
(Let me just say — we’re really knocking on DBM, and we’re really asking everybody. I hope you will help us because this is an appreciation for the most important sector of society – our grandparents.)