The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bohol has urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to refit the system that would be deemed appropriate in the disbursement of social pension to senior citizens.
The recommendation of the social service committee chaired by Board Member Lucille Lagunay and adopted by the SP came following the death of an elderly Mario Jumawid, who died while waiting for his turn to receive his pension, apparently for lingering illness.
A team “will design a scheme to improve the system of releasing the social pension stipend considering the geographical location of barangays in the LGU,” Lagunay’s report showed.
Lagunay earlier in her privilege speech brought to the attention to her colleagues what may be considered lapses in the implementation of the social pension of Php500/month to indigent elderly.
Her committee proposes that the said team will be composed of the Municipal Social Welfare Development officers, police, Rural Health Officer, General Services Officer, Senior Citizen Federated President, Liga ng mga Barangay President, and other persons as may be deemed appropriate by the Mayor.
Among the things recommended are to determine the number of days for payout, the number of disbursing officers, crowd control, issuance of priority numbers, release by batches, pledge of additional manpower, health team, safety and security, transportation and other factors.
“As much as possible, the payout should not be conducted simultaneously with other activities. Thereafter, the team shall submit their recommendations to the Mayor who shall then endorse it to the Regional Director for consideration and implementation.”
Other recommendations are the following: a series of dialogues, preferably per district, be conducted by the DSWD RO VII to be attended by all MSWDOs, President of the Senior Citizens Association and Punong Barangays in order to address all issues and concerns concerning the program. The members of the Committee on Social Services shall be invited to such meetings.
*The DSWD RO VII shall inform the Provincial Government of Bohol of the schedule of payout so the province can provide assistance.
*The DSWD RO VII furnish the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers the following: Clean List, Waiting for Clean List, For Validation, Delisted, Paid, Unclaimed during payout and other pertinent information so the MSWD Office can immediately answer directly the queries of senior citizens concerning the status of their social pension.
*The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office shall enjoin all barangay senior citizen Presidents in the province to assist the senior citizens in their barangay in the preparation of all documents needed during the payout.
*That Ms. Clavel C. Saycon, DSWD-RO VII Focal Person for Senior Citizens and Regional Director Rebecca Geamala be invited to sit in in the meeting of the League of Mayors in the Philippines, Bohol Chapter to enlighten all Mayors (especially the newly minted ones) about the program.
The report cited Spouses Mario and Margarita Jumawid of barangay Cambailan, Catigbian town were among 2,254 senior citizens qualified for social pension in Catigbian, Bohol.
Mario Jumawid had been in and out of the hospital for the past few months due to an illness. The wife (Margarita) “offered to claim his social pension. Mario insisted on claiming it personally” on September 26, 2019, that fateful day.
The disbursement of the said pension was also done during the Senior Citizens General Assembly and Election of Officers, it was learned.
But the Jumawid family did not put the blame on anyone for the demise of Mario because they all knew he was ill. (rvo)