Apalit releases P1.5-M pension for elderly

MORE than a thousand senior citizens from Apalit town recently received their monthly social pension from the local government here.

Mayor Peter Nucom disclosed that the local government allocated some P1.575 million for the quarterly payout of 1,050 elderly from the 12 barangays here.

He said that each beneficiary received P500 monthly, or a total of P1,500 to cover the months of January, February and March, during the payout held at the municipal multi-purpose hall here.

Nucom said the distribution of social pension is pursuant to Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens.

The program aims to provide additional government assistance which can improve the condition of indigent senior citizens by augmenting their daily subsistence and medical needs, and reduce incidence of hunger, as well as protect them from neglect, abuse, deprivation and natural and man-made disasters.

Nucom said the beneficiaries are those that do not receive social pension from the national government and were identified as indigent and needy.

“This is our regular program for the elderly aimed at assisting them, especially those without regular income, for their health and maintenance medicines,” he said.

Nucom, meanwhile, reminded the beneficiaries to use their pension for the sustenance of their basic commodity needs, especially for their food and medicines.

“Please use your pension for your needs and use them properly,” he said.