The Puerto Princesa City government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development agreed to synchronize the distribution of national and local senior citizen pensions to speed up releases and improve access for beneficiaries.
Mayor Lucilo Bayron led a coordination meeting on January 21 with the DSWD and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) to finalize the arrangement, which will allow the city government to distribute the national social pension on behalf of the DSWD.
DSWD Field Office MIMAROPA representative Eric Aborot said the fund transfer to local governments is a national directive aimed at making pension distribution more efficient, particularly in geographically isolated areas.
“Ito pong fund transfer ay directive po ng national na ibigay po sa Lokal na Pamahalaan yung pagdi-distribute ng ating social pension,” Aborot said, adding that local governments are better positioned to deliver assistance directly to senior citizens.
DSWD data showed that 12,609 indigent senior citizens in Puerto Princesa are qualified under the national social pension program and will receive ₱3,000 per quarter. The list of qualified beneficiaries will be turned over to the city government for implementation.
Officials agreed that the national pension may be released alongside the city’s own senior citizen allowance to reduce delays and ease the burden on government personnel.
The Office of Senior Citizens Affairs reported that 28,840 senior citizens received the city’s local pension in the last quarter of 2025, with each beneficiary receiving ₱3,000 per quarter.
Officials clarified that the national social pension is separate from the city’s local program, but senior citizens eligible for both may receive a combined total of ₱6,000 per quarter once the agreement takes effect.
Bayron said the move aims to ensure faster, more organized delivery of assistance and to guarantee that no senior citizen is left behind.
“Ang magiging basis ng releases yung certification ninyo na ito ang qualified sa national pension. Isasabay namin doon sa distribution,” Bayron said.
Officials said continued coordination between the DSWD and the city government will help ensure sustained and efficient pension services for senior citizens in Puerto Princesa.
