DSWD: Indigent seniors’ monthly pension up form P500 to P1,000

MANILA, Philippines — The monthly social pension of  indigent senior citizens are set to double in 2024, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Edu Punay said on Wednesday. 

Punay, during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, said this would mean around 4 million senior citizens will get twice their usual pension from the DSWD.  

“Mula P500 po nitong nakaraang mga taon, nadoble na po iyan, magiging P1,000 per month na po ang ating socpen (social pension) grant starting this year,” said Punay. 

(From P500 in the past years, our social pension grant will increase to P1000 per month this year.) 

Punay said that this was in accordance with Republic Act No. 11916 or “An act increasing the social pension of indigent senior citizens and appropriating funds thereof”.  The bill lapsed into law in 2022. 

“Ang requirement naman dito sa social pension fund po, paliwanagin natin, kailangan po indigent ‘no, iyong mga indigent na mga senior citizens lang po ang mabibigyan nitong social pension fund po namin,” said Punay. 

(The requirement here for the social pension, let us clarify, they need to be indigent, only indigent senior citizens will receive the social pension fund.)