Paranaque Senior Cits get pension

59 Parañaque senior citizens got a big treat on Thursday, January 5, 2012 as they received their social pension from the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development-NCR in a cash payout at the Parañaque City Hall. 45 more elderly citizens are expected to turn up within the week to complete the list of 104 qualified beneficiaries. 

     Said elderly citizens qualified under the criteria set in the DSWD National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction among them the following: They must be registered with the Parañaque Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA); they are not recipients of other pension benefits (GSIS,SSS, AFPMBAI, etc.); and are not getting any support from their families.

     The DSWD’s Social Pension Program is provided under Republic Act 9994 which is also known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. Under said law, indigent seniors shall be given a P500.00 monthly pension to help them with their everyday needs.  Extended on a quarterly basis, the earlier payouts were made in March and October 2011.

     The Parañaque seniors thanked the DSWD-NCR and the Parañaque City Social Welfare and Development Office under Mr. Dean Calleja for arranging the conduct of the payout in the city, making it more convenient and economical for them in terms of travel time and transportation fares.  

     “We laud the national government for caring for the country’s elderly. We, in Parañaque do the same, regarding them with high esteem; recognizing their invaluable contributions to community development and nation-building; and repaying the debt of gratitude by giving them special privileges, among them local legislations requiring private enterprises and public institutions in the city to set up express lanes and amenities for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and pregnant women; donations of wheel chairs for the elderly, like PWDs; free blood chemistry and H1N1/seasonal flu immunization under a special program. We will continue to introduce more measures as aid to our senior citizens.”, Mayor Bernabe said.