Davao City: Some 46,000 indigent senior citizens from Davao Oriental received PHP137 million worth of financial assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao (DSWD-11) in a payout conducted from June 16 to June 20.

According to Philippines News Agency, the agency stated that each qualified beneficiary received PHP3,000 as assistance earmarked for their medical and daily needs. The DSWD's Social Pension Program is one of the agency's initiatives that provides monthly financial assistance to indigent senior citizens to meet their basic needs, including food, medicine, and other necessities.

'We encourage qualified senior citizens to contact their local Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to be assessed and included in the list of beneficiaries in the next payout,' the agency advised. Jeremias Adapon, one of the beneficiaries from the town of Governor Generoso, expressed gratitude to the government for the assistance, noting its significant impact on purchasing his maintenance medicine and food for his family.

To qualify for the Social Pension Program, applicants must be frail, sickly, or disabled senior citizens without pensions from the Social Security System, the Government Service Insurance System, or other government or private pensions. Additionally, applicants must lack a stable income, compensation, or financial support for their basic needs. DSWD-11 urged seniors or their relatives to submit valid documents showing the birthdate or birth certificate of the senior to the nearest OSCA or other related agencies.