Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Programme Details
Programme objectives
To cater to the daily subsistence and health needs of senior citizens.
Department of Social Welfare and Development. n.d. Social Pension. Department of Social Welfare and Development website. <http://www.dswd.gov.ph/programs/social-pension/>.
Start date
2011
Pension Watch. n.d. Philippines. Pension Watch website. <http://www.pension-watch.net/country-fact-file/philippines/>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Coverage
3,000,000 beneficiaries (2018)
Department of Budget and Management. 2018. 2018 People’s Budget. <https://www.dbm.gov.ph/index.php/budget-documents/2018/2018-people-s-budget/2018-people-s-budget> Accessed 24 July 2018.
Programme expenditure
The government has committed PHP19,282,858,000 to the programme in 2018
Republic of the Philippines. 2018. ‘National Expenditure Program’, Republic of the Philippines. https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/NEP2018/NEP%202018-VOLUME%20III.pdf. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Proxy Means Test
Targeted areas
Nationwide
Target groups
Elderly
Eligibility criteria
Elderly beneficiaries are selected from the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) and the list of identified senior citizens is then validated at the local level. However, Local Government Units (LGU) also accept applications at the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) for the benefit. Potential beneficiaries are those aged 60 and older who are sick, frail or with disability, without pension from GSIS, SSS, AFPMBAI and other insurance company, and no permanent source of income or regular support from his/her relatives.
Pension Watch. n.d. Philippines. Pension Watch website. <http://www.pension-watch.net/country-fact-file/philippines/>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Knox-Vydmanov, C., D. Horn, A. Sevilla. 2016. The Philippine Social Pension at Four Years: Insights and Recommendations. Coalition of Services of the Elderly. <http://www.pension-watch.net/knowledge-centre/?guid=56e1afa585a5e&order=n>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Personal communication.
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Cash
Amount of benefits
PHP500 per month (around USD10)
Pension Watch. n.d. Philippines. Pension Watch website. <http://www.pension-watch.net/country-fact-file/philippines/>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Payment/delivery frequency
Payments are made every three months
Department of Social Welfare and Development. n.d. Social Pension Para Sa Mga Maralitang Senior Citizen. Department of Social Welfare and Development website. <http://www.dswd.gov.ph/download/resource_materials/resource_materials_senior_citizen/info-socpen-for-soc-media-tagalog_3.jpg>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Benefit delivery mechanism
Payments are made by DSDW or Local Government Units (LGU), or via door-to-door delivery
Department of Social Welfare and Development. n.d. Social Pension Para Sa Mga Maralitang Senior Citizen. Department of Social Welfare and Development website. <http://www.dswd.gov.ph/download/resource_materials/resource_materials_senior_citizen/info-socpen-for-soc-media-tagalog_3.jpg>. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Benefit recipients
Beneficiaries themselves. In case they are unable to collect the benefits for health or safety reasons, money remittance services can be used
Republic of the Philippines. 2018. ‘National Expenditure Program’, Republic of the Philippines. https://www.dbm.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/NEP2018/NEP%202018-VOLUME%20III.pdf. Accessed 18 May 2018.
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) conducts regular monitoring at the local level—or as the need arises—in partnership with senior citizen organisations (SCOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs).
Social Pension Focal
Person conducts regular monitoring and spot checks
Personal communication.
