DBM: Social pension for indigent seniors gets P49.8B in 2025 NEP

MANILA: The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allocated some PHP49.8 billion in the proposed 2025 budget to fund the social pension of over 4 million indigent senior citizens nationwide next year. In a statement Wednesday, the DBM said the funding for the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) under the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP) will ensure the continuous implementation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) social protection program for senior citizens. The allocation will benefit 4,085,066 indigent senior citizens, who will receive a monthly allowance of PHP1,000 to supplement their daily living and medical expenses, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said in his Budget Message. The SPISC Program aims to improve the well-being of qualified indigent senior citizens by supplementing their daily living and medical requirements, alleviating hunger, and protecting them from deprivation, neglect, or abuse. Under Republic Act (RA) 11916 enacted in Jul y 2022, beneficiaries of the SPISC Program are entitled to receive an enhanced monthly stipend of PHP1,000 this year. RA 11916 doubles the monthly pension for senior citizens from PHP500 to PHP1,000. Eligible recipients must be 60 years old and above, frail and sickly, and without pensions from other government sources such as the Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Social Security System, and private insurance companies. They should also not have a regular source of income or support from family or relatives to cover their basic needs. 'Sinusunod lamang po natin 'yung direktiba ng Pangulo na bigyang pagkalinga at malasakit ang ating mga elderly (We are only following the President's directive to provide care and concern for our elderly),' Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said. 'Nararapat lang din po na may sapat na pondo ang mga programang ito para nakukuha po ng ating mga lolo't lola 'yung mga benepisyo na nakalaan para sa kanila (It is also appropriate that thes e programs have sufficient funds so that our grandparents can get the benefits that are intended for them),' she added. Expanded Centenarians Act gets over PHP3 billion Meanwhile, with the implementation of the Expanded Centenarians Act, a total of PHP3 billion has been set aside to fund the PHP100,000 cash gift for Filipinos who have reached the age of 100, as well as the additional PHP10,000 cash benefit to all Filipinos aged 80, 85, 90, and 95, the DBM said. The President signed into law early this year RA 11982, expanding the coverage of RA 10868, to grant benefits to octogenarians and nonagenarians. Source: Philippines News agency