QUEZON CITY, (PIA) -The Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD) encourages all senior citizens, specially its clients and beneficiaries to sign up their family member/s, who are 60 years old and above, through the National Commission on Senior Citizens (NCSC) online registration system.

DSWD spokesperson Asst. Secretary Romel Lopez said the nationwide database of senior citizens will be a great baseline for policy formulation and program development for the protection and promotion of the older person sector.

“The national database of the senior citizens, which records the information of every older person in the country, will serve as a game changer in the formulation and development of programs, interventions, and services for the sector,” Asst. Secretary Lopez pointed out.

Currently, the NCSC is initiating a nationwide registration of all senior citizens using an enhanced data form, adding some vital features to include the older person’s source of income, if applicable, skill set, and health profile, among others which can be accessed through NCSC official website.

According to the NCSC, there are 83,480 registered senior citizens in their data base, however, data from the from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that there are 9,222,672 senior citizens nationwide based on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing.

Using the official NCSC website, ncsc.gov.ph, older people who are internet savvy may fill out the online forms and register for free.

Others may also opt to register manually through the Offices of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) in their respective local government unit (LGU).

The creation of the country’s senior citizens database is being undertaken by the NCSC, with the assistance of the DSWD and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Republic Act No. 11350, the act creating and establishing the Commission signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2018.

Reminding the public against text scams on online registration

The DSWD reiterates its warning for the public to take caution against spam text messages and social media posts saying that ‘all’ senior citizens will receive a monthly pension worth Php1,000 from the NCSC when they register online.

The DSWD spokesperson explained that ‘registration’ is not required to become beneficiaries of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program and the additional Php500 monthly stipend has yet to be funded.

Meanwhile, the increase of the PhP500 monthly stipend will be implemented as soon as the additional funding proposed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is approved for  the 2024 national budget.

The DSWD also clarified the distribution of the monthly Social Pension stipend of Php500.00 for indigent senior citizens is still being implemented by the Department, pending the full transfer of the social pension program to the NCSC.

While transitioning, the Department will continue to assist the NCSC to ensure that appropriate services and interventions are provided to older persons. (pia-ncr)