Lola Felisa speaks on life with Social Pension :
“I pray to God that (He) will extend my life so I could still enjoy my Social Pension benefits!”
Lola Felisa’s disposition on life changed after she started receiving Social Pension benefits. After years of working hard for her sustenance and other needs, she now receives a P500 monthly augmentation support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The Social Pension program which was implemented by the government since 2011 caters to indigent senior citizens–77 years old and above. Quarterly releases in lumped sum of P1,500 are personally handed to the elderlies who were identified through the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) of the DSWD.
Eighty-two year-old Felisa Tampos of Dumalinao, Zamboanga del Sur, was among the qualified seniors and until now are receiving this financial grant from the government.
During the Media Forum in Pagadian City last June 18, 2013, Lola Felisa, wearing a simple white polo shirt, looking neat and physically-well for her age, professed her gratitude to the Social Pension Program for the assistance given to the senior citizens. “Dako akong pasalamat kay makapalit na ko ug bugas, tambal ug uban pang kinahanglan” (I am grateful because now I could buy rice, medicines and other necessities).
Speaking before media practitioners, Lola Felisa recounted highlights of her life. She was a former day care worker, an active elderly in community activities and a supportive member of their local Senior Citizens’ organization. When she was already too old to teach in the DCC, she would source her income from other menial tasks and small businesses such as vending.
More in the local dialect, Lola Felisa articulated her concern for other senior citizens who desire to be recipients of the program. On the other hand, she expressed her joy being one of the recipients as accordingly, this has given her something to enjoy, something to look forward to each day.
“Salamat pod sa gobyerno kay gi atiman mi mga tigulang, ug wala mi gibyaan.” (Thanks to the government for looking after our needs). In a quivering voice, Lola Felisa asserted that the program is a show of support and concern to the senior citizens of the country.
That afternoon, the media saw not a frail and destitute old woman, but a charmingly-aging and empowered lady – Lola Felisa — speaking in behalf of the millions of Social Pensioners, an epitome of a senior in the pink of health, who despite financial incapability’s, managed to live life to the fullest.