Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 12) — The Department of Budget and Management has increased the allotted funds for the social pension of indigent senior citizens to ₱49.81 billion under the proposed 2024 national budget.
This is nearly double the ₱25.30 billion allocation in 2023.
“The budget for social pension for indigent senior citizens will be doubled to ₱49.81 billion to cover the increased government monthly allowance of ₱1,000 for more than four million indigent senior citizens who are not part of the pension system,” said Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman in a statement.
The social pension program is part of the implementation of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which provides an additional monthly government assistance of ₱500 to senior citizens who are frail or disabled, with no regular income or support from family, and without a pension from private or government institutions.
In 2022, the Social Pension for Indigent Seniors Act lapsed into law and doubled the monthly pension to ₱1,000 per qualified indigent elderly.
