More than 4.1 million indigent senior citizens received their respective social pension in 2025, an official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday.

“The DSWD implements the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens or SocPen as a mechanism to augment the medical needs and daily subsistence of qualified indigent seniors. Last year, a total of 4,112,895 indigent senior citizens benefited from the program,” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a news release.

The DSWD spokesperson added that with the implementation of Republic Act (RA) 11916 (An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens), qualified indigent senior citizens were able to receive a monthly stipend of PHP1,000 from the previous PHP500 per month.

The PHP1,000 monthly stipend is distributed to beneficiaries every quarter.

“Initially, for 2025, the original target was 4,085,066 beneficiaries. But we were able to exceed the target, with 4,112,895 total beneficiaries,” she said.

For 2026, Dumlao said the SocPen program received a funding allotment of PHP51.8 billion to accommodate additional indigent senior citizens.

“We also want to remind the public that the social pension program under the DSWD can only be given to eligible seniors, 60 years old and above who are frail, sickly, or with disability and without any pension from other government agencies. Meanwhile, the Department commends LGU-led initiatives of providing benefits to their elderly constituents under their Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA),” Dumlao said.

The SocPen program is implemented through the DSWD’s regional Field Offices in coordination with the local government units. (PNA)