By Michelle Ducut
The Albay Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) has begun distributing social pensions to more than 4,000 indigent senior citizens in the province, covering the period from July to December this year.
Maria Vivien Cea, PSWDO chief, stated on Tuesday that the distribution will continue until the first week of December to reach all 16,669 eligible senior citizens in Albay. The beneficiaries, primarily from the towns of Oas, Camalig, Guinobatan, Jovellar, and Daraga, received PHP500 per month, amounting to PHP3,000 for the six-month period.
“The beneficiaries are senior citizens who do not receive pensions from other government agencies,” Cea explained, noting that they are on the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) waitlist due to limited national program slots.
The provincial government has allocated PHP100 million annually for the program, demonstrating its commitment to supporting indigent senior citizens. The initiative aims to provide financial relief to elders with no other sources of pension income, ensuring their basic needs are met.