Antique, Philippines – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has successfully distributed benefits to 41,956 indigent senior citizens, including centenarians, in the province of Antique for the current year.

According to Philippines News Agency, Katherine Joy Lamprea, Chief of the Protective Services Division at DSWD Regional Office 6, confirmed that the distribution was completed on October 27. Among the beneficiaries, 29 centenarians received PHP100,000 each, while 41,927 indigent seniors availed of the PHP6,000 annual pension. The pension is distributed biannually, with the first semester payout completed in April and the second in October, each at PHP3,000.

The Centenarian Act of 2016 (Republic Act 10868) underpins this initiative, honoring and providing benefits to Filipinos who reach the age of 100. Lamprea, in a media forum, urged local government units (LGUs) to adopt similar programs to assist senior citizens. She suggested that even a modest monthly support of PHP200 per indigent senior from the LGUs could significantly help them with basic necessities.

In line with this, Antique’s amended Provincial Ordinance Number 144, or the “Elderly Welfare and Development Code of the Province of Antique,” provides an annual social pension for elderly residents aged 85 to 89 years (PHP2,000), 90 to 94 years (PHP3,000), 95 to 99 years (PHP5,000), and 100 years and above (PHP30,000).