Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Eastern Visayas is enhancing the identification process for senior citizen beneficiaries of the social pension program. This effort employs the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) as the primary tool for determining eligible elderly individuals for the second semester of 2026.

According to Philippines News Agency, this initiative aligns with Republic Act No. 11315, known as the Community-Based Monitoring System Act. The act mandates the use of an official socio-economic database to identify poor and vulnerable individuals in need of government assistance. As part of the process, the DSWD cross-references potential beneficiaries with records from various government agencies, including the Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office.

The DSWD collaborates with local government units to conduct field validations. This verification process checks the accuracy of the data and confirms the eligibility of each prospective beneficiary. Currently, 1,271 new beneficiaries have been approved in Batch 1. Meanwhile, 6,037 potential beneficiaries in Batch 2 are undergoing assessment and processing, and validation for Batch 3 is ongoing using the CBMS-generated list.

The DSWD anticipates including more qualified indigent senior citizens in Eastern Visayas in the program over the coming quarters as the validation and assessment processes continue. The agency emphasizes that this systematic, transparent, and data-driven approach will ensure that social pension assistance is directed to senior citizens who are genuinely qualified and most in need.

The social pension for the elderly is part of the government's social protection initiatives. It aims to enhance the quality of life for indigent senior citizens by providing them additional support for their basic needs.