MANILA – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to release six months’ worth of senior citizen’s pension in advance to help them sustain their needs during the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.
Senior Citizens party-list Representative Francisco Datol Jr. said on Thursday that the advanced pension for senior citizens will be available for claiming soon. Indigent senior citizens receive P500 monthly in social pension.
“‘Yung ating kahilingan tungkol sa naantalang social pension ng 2019 ay ida-download na ng DSWD para ‘yung mga senior citizen ay matanggap na ‘yung mga hinihintay nilang pension noon pang 2019,” Datol said.
“At pagkatapos, ‘yung advance ng budget ng 2020, anim na buwan ang hintayin niyo, pagsasabayin na ‘yun ng DSWD. Ito ay mga kahalingin ko na natupad na,” the lawmaker added.
Last year, Datol asked the DSWD why many beneficiaries had not yet received their pension from 2019. The DSWD responded that the seniors’ database went through verification following orders from President Rodrigo Duterte.
Datol has also urged the senior citizens to stay in their homes and wait for the assistance to be given to them.
“Marami pang biyaya ang tatanggapin niyo dahil alam ng ating Pangulo, ng ating pamahalaan, ng mga departamento ng gobyerno na ang sektor natin ay the most vulnerable sector ng ating lipunan,” Datol said.
“Kaya nga 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,” he added./PN
