The DSWD Field Office Eight has started mid-May releasing cash grants for the social pension of indigent senior citizens, aged 77 years old and above, who do not receive any pension or regular support from the family or relatives, or who are sick, frail, or with disability, as part of the government’s support for the food, medicine, and other basic needs of senior citizens.

The social pensioners reaches to a total of 11, 532 for Region Eight alone, and for the whole country, 138,150.00, for year 2011. DSWD Field Office Eight Assistant Regional Director, Jaime Eclavea, who is also the social pension manager, revealed that the national budget for the current year amounts to Php 871 million!

Initially, the Field Office, under Regional Director Leticia Corillo, has distributed the three – month pension stipend of Php 1,500.00 to s ome 339 senior citizens of Catarman in Northern Samar, Alang-alang, Palo, Jaro, Tabon-tabon, Burauen, involving a total fund of Php 508, 500.00.

Last June 8, a team from the Field Office distributed the cash grants for fifteen senior citizens of Tabon-tabon, Leyte. For those elderly citizens who are bedridden or are handicapped or weak, the team personally gave the stipends and went to their homes to see for themselves the situation of these senior citizens.

Municipal Mayor Priscilla Justimbaste expressed concern for the senior citizens, saying they should use the money for their own benefit.

Meanwhile, Ben Calzado, the DSWD Eight focal person for the social pension program, presented to the Mayor the provision of honorarium of the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) Head, relative to Republic Act 9994 otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act. He said the OSCA heads are entitled to at least equivalent to the salary of Grade 10, emphasizing the very important role they play in the promotion of the welfare of senior citizens.