Over P1.5B in social pension disbursed to Caraga senior citizens as of Q3 2026
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga has disbursed P1.538 billion worth of social pension to 175,711 eligible elderly beneficiaries across the region as of the third quarter of 2026.
Jessie Catherine B. Aranas, chief of the DSWD Caraga Protective Services Division, presented the report during the Kapihan sa PIA on October 6 in celebration of Elderly Filipino Week.
According to Aranas, the agency achieved a 92.43 percent disbursement rate, paying 175,711 senior citizens out of the region’s total target of 190,095 beneficiaries. Based on the paid-per-headcount data, the total payout reached P1.538 billion for the period.
Surigao del Sur posted the highest number of paid beneficiaries in the region with 45,885 senior citizens receiving their pension, closely followed by Agusan del Sur with 45,210 beneficiaries. Meanwhile, Surigao del Norte recorded 34,054 recipients, Agusan del Norte registered 23,823, and Butuan City accounted for 18,001 beneficiaries. The Province of Dinagat Islands rounded out the list with 10,901 paid elderly individuals.
The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens is a DSWD program providing a monthly stipend of P1,000, distributed on a quarterly basis. To qualify, applicants must be at least 60 years old; recorded in the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS); frail, sickly, or living with a disability; without a permanent source of income or financial support from family; and not receiving pensions from the Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO), or other private providers.
Aranas explained that potential beneficiaries are identified through lists supplied by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the DSWD Central Office, which field workers use for house-to-house validation in the barangays.
She noted that seniors omitted from the current list may have been missed during the 2023 CBMS census. Those seeking clarification on their status are advised to coordinate with their respective local government units.
To address potential gaps in coverage, DSWD Caraga is coordinating with the PSA regarding the next CBMS survey, tentatively scheduled for 2027.
“Actually, we are now coordinating with the PSA, and I understand that by 2027, there will be a next survey based on their tentative schedule,” Aranas said. “To those who are not listed in the CBMS, perhaps we will be coordinating again with the PSA on the final schedule of the survey to conduct the CBMS.”
The updated CBMS dataset will assist government agencies and local authorities in identifying and validating qualified individuals for social protection initiatives.
Aranas added that senior citizens who do not qualify for the social pension can still access alternative support programs from the agency.
“In the DSWD, we also have other financial assistance, one of which is the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) which provides support to vulnerable sectors, particularly elderly persons with health concerns. They can avail of medical assistance, food assistance, and other needs, subject to eligibility,” she said. (NJGD, PIA Caraga with a report from DSWD Caraga)
