Welfare dept points to ‘political maneuvers’ for delay of pension

By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

The delay in the distribution and providing pension to senior citizens last year was caused by the unliquidated pension cash provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development-10 to various local government units.

This was disclosed by Daisy Ramos, focal person for DSWD-10’s Social Pension Program during a press conference held here on Monday.

Ramos said aside from delay in the distribution is the political maneuvering of different in the municipal and city levels.

“Ang ID sa tigulang didto pa mo-agi sa mayor. The complaints are now being lodged to DSWD-10 and to 8888. Ang usa gyud sa among gidugayan is the non-compliance of the LGU in terms in the schedule of payout,” she said.

She added that it is stated under the memorandum of agreement between the local governments and DSWD-10, that local governments are mandated to release the social pension to the beneficiaries 15 days after the money has been downloaded to the respective local government.

“There should (be) an immediate payout dili pakatulogon ang kwarta. Ang nahitabo ila gyud nga gipakatulog ang kwarta. Consequently, when the payout is delayed then the submission of liquidation report is also delayed,” she explained.

Ramos identified the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Malaybalay, Ozamis, Valencia,  and Gingoog as among the local governments in the region experiencing the submission of the delayed liquidation report to DSWD-10.

She said because of the delayed submission of liquidation reports, DSWD-10 has already asked the Commission on Audit-10 for an immediate consultation dialogue with the local governments concerned.

“We will conduct validation with the beneficiaries (concerned) human namo nahibaloan nga dunay mga barangay officials ang naapil sa social pension. Dinhi namo sugdan sa Cagayan de Oro. Dili namo ika-limod nga dunay politika nahitabo sa ubos,” she added.

DSWD-10 has provided P1,500 per month pension to at least 34,378 in the entire Northern Mindanao municipalities and cities. The social pension is among the highest budgeted program by DSWD.

“Those qualified to receive are senior citizens who are not beneficiaries of any pension program from Social Security System, Government Social Insurance System, and any institution regardless of the amount,” she said.

However, local field officers for pension programs are already drafting a resolution and omnibus guidelines for social pension address to DSWD central office to include senior citizen who are receiving below P5,000 per month from any government or private institution.

“We are targeting that in Northern Mindanao this year would be given an additional 14,000 slots for 2018 social pension,” she said.