More than 41,000 indigent senior citizens from the  province of Antique received their annual social pension for calendar year 2023, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has reported.

“The DSWD has disbursed and completed the release of the first and second semester pension to some 41,927 indigent senior citizens in the province,”  DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.

“Our DSWD Field Office-6 (Western Visayas) was able to complete the first semester payout in April and the second semester payout last October. The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens would be of great help to further assist the elderly persons for their daily subsistence and other medical needs,” Asst. Sec. Lopez pointed out.

Asst. Sec. Lopez, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said indigent senior citizens are entitled to receive Php500 per month or Php6,000 annually.

The social pension is given to any elderly, aged 60 years old and above, who is frail, sickly, or with a disability, and without a pension or permanent source of income, compensation, or financial assistance from his or her relatives to support his or her basic needs.

Some 29 centenarians, or those who reached 100 years of age and above, from Antique also received Php100,000 each from the DSWD.

The Centenarian Program, as mandated by Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016,  provides centenarians, whether residing in the country or abroad, with Php 100,000 cash incentives and a letter of felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines congratulating them for their longevity. #