ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Khymer Olaso has ordered for stricter verification of beneficiaries of the social pension program of the local government for senior citizens to ensure that financial assistance goes only to bona fide residents.
Olaso said Monday, September 7, 2026, that the city government needs to establish clear and simple requirements for senior citizens seeking to be included in the beneficiary list, particularly in verifying their residency and other eligibility documents.
“We have to be very specific about the senior citizens because it’s a big city,” Olaso said in an interview with reporters at City Hall.
“There are several who register but are not residents of this city,” he added.
He said one way of verifying eligibility of the beneficiary is through voter registration in Zamboanga City, which may serve as proof that the senior citizen is a legitimate resident.
Another way of verifying is that the beneficiary can communicate and comprehend the local vernacular, which is Chavacano.
Those who cannot provide sufficient proof of eligibility may be removed from the beneficiary list, Olaso said, as the city seeks to prevent people from other areas from taking advantage of the program.
Olaso said they have discovered that 40 percent of the senior citizens in one of this city’s 98 villages are not from Zamboanga City.
Olaso noted that the number of senior citizens suddenly surged to 80,000 from 18,000 over three years ago.
The mayor also said the city has allocated about P350 million for the program, with additional funding expected next year.
The local government is providing P4,000 annual social pension, of at P1,000 per quarter, to each senior citizens of Zamboanga City.
The other benefits include one-time cash incentive of P5,000 for septuagenarian (ages 70-79); P10,000 for octogenarian (ages 80-89); P20,000 for nonagenarian (ages 90-99); and, P25,000 for centenarian.
Senior citizens also receive an annual cash gift on their birthday ranging from P500 to P2,000 depending on their specific age.
Olaso said the verification is necessary to protect the funds of the social pension program and to ensure that assistance reaches legitimate senior citizens in Zamboanga City. (SunStar Zamboanga)