The Department of Social Welfare and Development delisted 13,468 elderly beneficiaries in Western Visayas, 3,282 of whom are from Negros Occidental, from its Social Pension program.
The others who were delisted were from Iloilo – 5,324, Capiz – 1,594, Aklan – 1,494, Antique – 1,308 and Guimaras – 466, DSWD 6 data released Thursday, August 15, showed.
The DSWD Western Visayas said among those delisted were 1,327 found to have pensions from the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System, 830 receiving honorariums or salaries, 331 with regular support from their families, while the rest died or transferred residence and could not be located.
“This is the reason why we are revalidating the list. We know there are more elderly who need the pension,” DSWD 6 Regional Director Carmelo N. Nochete said in a Facebook post.
“There are senior citizens who do not have families who could support them. Worse, they also do not have pension from SSS, GSIS or other entities. They are the ones who should be prioritized under the Social Pension Program”, he said.
Nochete said SSS, GSIS or Philippine Veterans Affairs Office pensioners, or those receiving pensions from other entities, cannot receive the pension from DSWD because it is expressly stated in the guidelines.
The prohibition is stated in Memorandum Circular 06 Series 2024 entitled, “Enhanced Omnibus Guidelines in the Program Implementation of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens”, he said.*