BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) approved on third and final reading a proposed ordinance providing social pension for indigent senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Councilor Celia Flor, proponent and chair of the SP committee on senior citizens and veterans affairs, thanked colleagues for supporting the measure.
Each qualified senior citizen beneficiary will receive a total of P6,000 annually, she said.
Part of the ordinance stated that the city government, from its annual appropriation, shall allocate P100 million under the City Mayor’s Office for the social pension.
Qualified indigent senior citizens are those who do not receive any form of contributory pension, as well as individuals receiving not more than P5,000 monthly from a contributory pension (Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Social Security System) and the social pension program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Indigent senior citizens are those who have no permanent source of income, compensation, or financial assistance from relatives to support his/her basic needs; and must be a registered voter and a resident of this city for at least one year.
For PWDs, they must be a registered voter and a resident of this city for at least a year to qualify for the program, the ordinance added./PN
