Indigent seniors in Davao get pension ‘in advance’

By Che Palicte

DAVAO CITY—The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Davao Region (DSWD-11) is distributing in advance to 66,702 indigent senior citizens here their social pension for six months, from July to December 2023.

By Villamor Visaya Jr.

TUGUEGARAO CITY—Se- nior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) were trained to increase their awareness and readiness when volcano, earthquake, and tsunami hazards strike and how to properly mitigate the impacts during the Disaster Resilience Forum at a mall here over the weekend.

Senior citizens and PWDs are some of the most vulnerable sectors in disasters as they mostly lack knowledge and experience, aside from being generally immobilized by geologic and hydrometeorological hazards, according to Charmaine Villamil, Disaster Risk Reduction Communications Specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Villamil urged participants to obtain information only from verified sources to become disasterready and informed.

“Through this forum, you are better prepared for unforeseen events,” she told the 700 elderly and PWD participants. Dr. Ted Esguerra, a rescue and survival expert, shared essential and practical survival tips tailored to the needs of senior citizens and PWDs.

The participants were taught how to drop and take cover during earthquakes, follow outdoor safety protocols and take shelter in safe places, and follow flooding and evacuation protocols during typhoons.

The forum was a joint effort of the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Science and Technology, Phivolcs and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The forum was supposed to be held in July to mark National Disaster Resilience Month but was reset due to the onslaught of Typhoon Egay. PNA

In an interview with Philippine News Agency on Wednesday, DSWD11 social marketing unit information officer Ezri Coda Jr. said the ongoing August 7 to 18 payout targets the senior ciitizens in the city’s three districts. The number of beneficiaries per district are as follows: 17,579 (District 1), 21,682 (District 2), and 27,441 (District 3).

“It is P500 per month, and they will receive P3,000 for six months,” Coda said. Under Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, eligible senior citizens will receive P500 social pension per month distributed quarterly.

However, based on the Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 17, series of 2022, the release of the social pension was changed to twice a year instead of every quarter.

Coda said the semestral social pension payout will help ensure that vulnerable seniors receive essential aid, contributing to their well-being and quality of life.

“As the distribution period commences, eligible senior citizens are encouraged to visit the designated payout centers to claim their financial support,” he said. PNA