THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aims to cater all senior citizens in the country aging 60 yeras old and above to be included in the list of pensioners under the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) program.
"This year, let us set the goal to help even more as the budget now has been allocated to serve all indigent senior citizens," Taguiwalo said during the DSWD-Davao 66th anniversary celebration Friday, March 3, at Grand Men Seng Hotel.
In the budget set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), they allocated P17.9 billion for SPISC beneficiaries, which is twice higher as compared to the P8.7 billion budget last year. Thus, the DSWD's target beneficiaries have also increased to 2.8 million from 1.3 million in 2016.
Taguiwalao said that DBM secretary Benjamin Diokno, upon the instruction of President Rodrigo Duterte, has made sure that the budget allocated is for all indigent seniors.
All senior citizens could be enrolled under SPISC unlike before when applicants have to wait for replacement and this only happens through death or delisting of senior citizen pensioners.
"Wala na pong pilahan para mag-antay na may mabakante na espasyo at may mamatay," she said.
In 2016, DSWD-Davao has assisted 82,531 indigent senior citizens who are entitled to receive P1,500 social pension per quarter or equivalent to P500 per month.
The qualified senior citizens may apply at the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), the City or Municipal Social Welfare Development Office or a DSWD Regional Office. Applicants or their representatives must bring an Osca ID, birth certificate and certificate of indigency upon the application of the program.
However, only citizens aged 60 and above who have no pension from private or government institutions, regular income, or support from their families may enroll in the program while those who have pensions from Social Security System (SSS) or Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) are not qualified.
"DSWD personnel shows indeed not just in words that service to the public and service to the people is a vocation and not merely an occupation," Taguiwalo said.