More than 41,000 indigent senior citizens from the province of Antique received their annual social pension for calendar year 2023, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has reported.

"The DSWD has disbursed and completed the release of the first and second semester pension to some 41,927 indigent senior citizens in the province," DSWD Assistant Secretary for Strategic Communications Romel Lopez said.

"Our DSWD Field Office-6 (Western Visayas) was able to complete the first semester payout in April and the second semester payout last October. The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens would be of great help to further assist the elderly persons for their daily subsistence and other medical needs," Lopez said.

Lopez, also the DSWD spokesperson, added indigent senior citizens are entitled to receive P500 per month or P6,000 annually.

The social pension is given to any elderly, aged 60 years old and above, who is frail, sickly or with a disability, and without a pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his or her relatives to support his or her basic needs.

Some 29 Antique centenarians, or those who have reached 100 years of age and above, also received P100,000 each from the DSWD.

The Centenarian Program, mandated by Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016, provides centenarians, whether residing in the country or abroad, P100,000 in cash incentives and a letter of felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines congratulating them for their longevity.