Indigent senior citizens can now receive their social pension on a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly basis, instead of the previous semestral or every six months payout, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Thursday.

“Secretary Rex Gatchalian instructed all the DSWD Field Offices (FOs), through the regional directors, to follow the new schedule of social pension payouts. This is to ensure that the social pension will be received by the beneficiaries more frequently rather than every six months only,” Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao, who is also the agency spokesperson, said.

In a May 7 memorandum circular (MC) to all regional directors, Secretary Gatchalian said semestral payment of social pensions will no longer be allowed starting 1 July.

“If monthly releasing of stipend is not feasible, the allowed frequency of payment shall only include bi-monthly and quarterly releasing. Semestral payment shall no longer be allowed effective 1 July 2024,” the DSWD chief’s signed MC read.

The DSWD secretary’s directive also stated that the conduct of monthly releasing of stipend is exempted if majority of the beneficiaries are residing in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs); the province, city, or municipality is declared under state of calamity or under natural or human-induced crises such as armed conflict; and other unavoidable and uncontrollable circumstances and situations, subject to the validation of the respective field offices.

“Secretary Gatchalian’s memorandum also directed the FOs to amend all existing memorandum of agreement (MOA) with local government units (LGUs) bearing semestral payment of social pensions,” the DSWD spokesperson pointed out.

The Social Pension or SocPen is an additional government assistance under Republic Act 9994 or the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010” which provided for a monthly stipend amounting to P500 to indigent senior citizens as augmentation for their daily subsistence and medical needs.

As mandated by Republic Act 11916, also known as “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens,” which lapsed into law in July 2022, indigent senior citizens are now entitled to a monthly stipend of P1,000, from the previous P500 per month starting January 2024.

Dumlao reiterated that the SocPen is for indigent senior citizens who are frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs.