More than 4.1 million indigent senior citizens received social pension assistance in 2025, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development said on Wednesday.

“The DSWD implements the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens or SocPen as a mechanism to augment the medical needs and daily subsistence of qualified indigent seniors. Last year, a total of 4,112,895 indigent senior citizens benefited from the program,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, who also serves as DSWD spokesperson, said.

Dumlao noted that with the implementation of Republic Act No. 11916, qualified indigent senior citizens began receiving a higher monthly stipend of P1,000, up from the previous P500. The stipend is distributed on a quarterly basis.

“Initially, for 2025, the original target was 4,085,066 beneficiaries. But we were able to exceed the target, with 4,112,895 total beneficiaries,” Dumlao said.

For 2026, she said the SocPen program has been allotted P51.8 billion to accommodate additional indigent senior citizens.

“We also want to remind the public that the social pension program under the DSWD can only be given to eligible seniors, 60 years old and above who are frail, sickly, or with disability and without any pension from other government agencies. Meanwhile, the Department commends LGU-led initiatives of providing benefits to their elderly constituents under their Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA),” Dumlao explained.

One of the beneficiaries, Ella Sagmayao Macario from Tubo, Abra, expressed gratitude for the assistance.

“Salamat sa mga binigay niyo sa amin at may pandagdag kami ng mga apo ko sa pang araw-araw naming pagkain. Pero higit sa lahat, may pandagdag ako pambili ng aking mga gamot at kailangan ng aking katawan,” Macario said.

The SocPen program is implemented through the DSWD’s regional field offices in coordination with local government units.