The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it has lowered the age qualification of indigent senior citizens who can receive the monthly social pension of P500 monthly from 77 to 65.
DSWD records show Davao Region has 58,195 qualified indigent senior citizens while Davao City has 8225.
Based on Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, indigent senior citizens or those 60 years old and above are entitled to monthly pension, however, due to limited government resources only those 77 and above were covered by the law up to 2014.
For this year, DSWD’s proposal to lower the age of qualification to 65 was approved by Congress and Senate and has been included in the General Appropriations Act of 2015.
Qualified to receive the P500 monthly stipend are senior citizens who are frail, sickly, or have disabilities; are not receiving pension from Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), or Veterans Pension; and do not have a permanent source of income or regular support from family or relatives.
