Bacolod City is set to enhance its social pension program, extending benefits to an additional 2,800 senior citizens this year. The expansion follows the City Council’s approval of an additional PHP15 million, bringing the total budget for the program to PHP65 million. This increase was requested by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to support more elderly residents in the city.
Since the ordinance was passed in late 2022, 8,333 seniors have already benefited from the program. With the new funds, the number of beneficiaries is expected to rise to around 11,000. Each eligible senior receives an annual pension of PHP6,000, or PHP500 monthly, through the city’s Department of Social Services and Development.
Councilor Celia Flor, who chairs the City Council committee on senior citizens and veteran affairs, plans to meet with city department officials to finalize the distribution of the new beneficiaries across the city’s 61 barangays. Flor also intends to request an additional PHP5 million to further expand the program.
Previously, the pension was primarily available to those aged 70 and above. However, with the increased budget, seniors in their 60s may now qualify. Eligible seniors are those who do not receive any contributory pension or receive a pension of no more than PHP5,000 monthly from government agencies such as the Government Service Insurance System, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, and Social Security System.