DSWD transfers senior citizen assistance program to NCSC

The National Commission of Senior Citizens will now be the implementer of the Assistance to Older Persons (ATOP) program.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officially turned over the program to NCSC during a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signing ceremony Thursday between DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and NCSC Chairperson Atty. Franklin Quijano.

Through the agreement, the NCSC will receive from the DSWD the remaining P1.7 million ATOP funds for the implementation of programs, projects, and activities for Filipino senior citizens.

“Ipapasa ito sa inyo, alagaan ninyo ito nang mabuti. Naniniwala ako na mapapalago ninyo ito and later on we can start talking about the bigger programs or the bigger PAPs in the department,” Sec. Gatchalian pointed out.

(We will pass this on to you, take good care of it. I believe that you will nurture this, and later on, we can begin discussing the bigger programs or projects in the department.)

This is in compliance with Republic Act No. 11350, which created the NCSC and mandated the transfer of functions, programs, projects, and activities related to the welfare of senior citizens from the DSWD to the commission.

Gatchalian said the DSWD is committed to assist the NCSC during the transition period and in fulfilling its mandate for the implementation of assistance to older persons (ATOP).

Among the programs and activities under the ATOP are support to the Senior Citizens Sectoral Council of the National Anti-Poverty Commission; the celebration of the Elderly Filipino Week both at the national and regional level; support to the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations of the Philippines, Inc.; and leading the Regional Coordinating and Monitoring Board and Regional Inter-Agency for Senior Citizens, among others.

The DSWD is also in the process of transferring to NCSC other senior citizen programs, such as the Social Pension for Indigent Seniors Citizens program and the implementation of the Centenarians Act of 2016, to the NCSC.

The Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens provides P1,000 monthly pension to indigent senior citizens which will be given every six months.

However, only those senior citizens who fall under the following categories are eligible to receive the monthly pension:

• Frail, sickly, or with disability
• Without pension from SSS, GSIS, or other government and private agencies
• Without permanent source of income
• Without regular support from family members.

Qualified individuals may go to the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) at their local government units to register. They need to bring accomplished application form, an OSCA ID or any valid government ID with birth date, and their birth certificate.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/AOL, GMA Integrated News