Palawan gov’t continues to provide social pension to indigent senior citizens

• Source:http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?nid=2&rid=902421
• Friday, July 8, 2016

By Celeste Anna R. Formoso [(PNA), PGL/CARF/RSM]

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, July 8 (PNA) -– The Palawan Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) has already distributed to 6,000 indigent senior citizens their local social pension (LSP) of Php1,500 each for the months of January to June.

This was reported Thursday by Helen Bundal, the Population Program Officer II of the PSWDO through the Provincial Information Office (PIO).

According to Bundal, the PSWDO just recently completed its social pension payout for the elderly citizens in all municipalities except Araceli island town.

As of current, Bundal said the total amount financial support they have already awarded to senior citizens under the LSP has reached Php9.9 million.

She also reported that they have already awarded all pensions for the year 2015, and no more balance remains.

Based on data by the PSWDO, the town of Taytay in northern Palawan has the highest number of indigent citizens, or 550. The lowest is in the island town of Kalayaan in the West Philippines Sea, numbering only 13.

For the year 2016, the provincial government’s LSP has allotted Php20 million for the elderly citizens, which is higher compared to last year’s Pph17 million.

The LSP for Indigent Senior Citizen of the PSWDO is in compliance to Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 that orders local government units (LGUs) to provide monthly pension to the indigent senior citizens that they may spend on food and medicine.

It was in 2014 when the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan re-enforced the Act when it passed Resolution No. 11305 that aims to provide Php250 social pension to senior citizens 60 years old and above every month.