The Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office X (DSWD-10) reminds the public that the Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens remains a proposed measure and has not yet been enacted into law. This clarification comes in response to circulating online posts claiming that seniors can already apply for the program.

“Among giawhag ang katawhan nga dili basta-basta mutuo sa mga posts online ug didto lang sila mukuha og mga impormasyon sa mga lehitimong social media accounts o website aron makalikay sa mga pagpangilad,” said DSWD-10 Regional Director Ramel F. Jamen.

Although the House Bill No. 10423, or the Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens Bill, has been approved by the House of Representatives, it is still not a law. The measure must first be passed by the Senate and signed by the President before it can take effect.

The proposed bill seeks to amend Republic Act No. 7432, or the Senior Citizens Act of 1992, to expand the coverage of the current Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC). Once passed, it will provide a monthly pension to all senior citizens regardless of economic status.

Because the proposed bill is still under deliberation, there are no applications, enrollments, or payouts for the program at this time. Likewise, no Implementing Rules and Regulations have been issued, as these guidelines can only be crafted once the bill is enacted.

Meanwhile, DSWD-10 continues to implement the SPISC under Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. This existing program grants qualified indigent senior citizens a monthly stipend of ₱1,000 to help meet their daily subsistence and medical needs.

DSWD-10 warns the public against misinformation and fake news regarding the proposed bill and urges senior citizens to verify information through official DSWD channels or by coordinating directly with their City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices. All official announcements on new programs or expansions will be posted only through the DSWD website, verified social media accounts, and official partner agencies. ###