Manila: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday highlighted the expanding coverage and measurable impact of its social protection programs for senior citizens, children, and disaster-affected households as it continues to strengthen the delivery of basic services nationwide.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao stated that more than four million indigent senior citizens are receiving a monthly PHP1,000 social pension under the agency's Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program. The pension, while modest, assists the elderly in meeting essential needs, particularly for medicines. Secretary Rex Gatchalian has instructed field offices to ensure more frequent pension distribution, with schedules ranging from monthly to every two months, and no later than every three months, to make the assistance more responsive.
For children, the agency provided services to over 1.5 million learners through the Supplementary Feeding Program, offering hot meals, nutritious food, and milk to children in Child Development Centers. In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), more than 18,000 children benefited from the Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon (BangUN) Program, supported by partnerships with local governments to meet nutritional targets. Dumlao emphasized the importance of meeting children's nutritional needs during their foundational years to prevent health conditions that could hinder their growth and development.
The Walang Gutom Program expanded its reach to 600,000 household beneficiaries this year, following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to end involuntary hunger by the end of his term. Each household receives PHP3,000 in monthly food credits redeemable at partner KADIWA stores and accredited retailers. The program aims to increase its coverage to 750,000 households next year, with hunger incidence among beneficiaries dropping by more than seven percent in 2025 based on monitoring and third-party surveys.
In addition, Dumlao reported that over seven million beneficiaries received medical, burial, psychosocial, and referral assistance under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program this year. More cases are expected once December data is finalized.
On the disaster response front, more than 700,000 families received Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT) from January to October to support early recovery and repair of homes damaged by calamities. The ECT enables affected families to determine their priorities, whether for shelter repair or livelihood restoration. Dumlao noted that government agencies are pooling resources to ensure the prompt recovery of affected families, emphasizing the need for a whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approach to meet their needs.
