DSWD-XI, PhilHealth treat indigent senior citizens with health care

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 08 (PIA) – More than 300 indigent senior citizens here have enjoyed on Tuesday a fun and services-filled Elderly Filipino Week (EFW) celebration centered on their health needs, as a treat to them by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-XI) and PhilHealth-XI.

DSWD-XI and PhilHealth-XI joined their resources to provide the elderly beneficiaries in the city the attention and care for their health and wellness by giving them free haircut, medical and dental check up, eye check up, massage and vaccination.

DSWD-XI gave out wheelchairs for five sick senior citizens aged 84-96 years old, all residing in Davao City.

“The national celebration wants to recognize and honor our elderly sector as the wealth of the country because of the many experiences and wisdom that they have shared to us,” stated DSWD-XI regional director Priscilla Razon.

“They are our partners of development. They deserve to be cared, nurtured and loved by the society, their family and individuals,” Razon said of the elderly sector, as she emphasized the need to provide them appropriate health services.

PhilHealth-XI, on the other hand, issued Lifetime Membership Cards and Members Data Records to their indigent elderly beneficiaries, which are requisites in availing of hospitalization benefits.

During the culmination program at NCCC Mall in Davao City, PhilHealth also provided an orientation on The Expanded Senior Citizen’s Act and the National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) “as an information drive to empower the elders with the rights and special privileges they are entitled to during their ‘twilight’ years.”

Also part of the EFW celebration on the same venue, DSWD-XI led the releasing of payouts of the senior citizen social pension covering the period January to September, 2014 to some 138 beneficiaries from Talomo B District, Davao City.

“Our members are very happy to receive the pension, despite the long wait,” said Talomo B District Senior Citizens Association vice-president Nenita Mendoza, 64.

Razon explained that the implementation of the Social Pension Program for the indigent senior citizens has been deferred from January to September this year due to the revalidation of beneficiaries following the results of the Listahanan System.

She said that there will be a simultaneous releasing of stipends nationwide this October 13 in different barangay gyms.

In Davao Region, there are 20,351 senior citizen beneficiaries for DSWD’s social pension program, 1,281 members are from Davao City.

The program under Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 mandates for the provision of a monthly stipend of P500 to senior citizens who are 77 years old and above, and who are frail, sickly and disabled, without a regular source of income and/or support from any member of the family, and not receiving other pension benefits from government and private agencies.

This year’s theme for the EFW celebration stated “Ang Nakatatanda ang Yaman, Katuwang sa Pag-unlad ng Bayan, Pangalagaan ang Kanilang Kapakanan.” (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)