Butuan City– The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga, through the Regional Social Pension Unit (RSPU), awarded the Local Government Units (LGUs) identified as best implementers of Social Pension per province for the year 2015.
Sarah Rose Salingay, focal person of Social Pension, said that the awards aim to recognize the efforts and good performance of the LGU as well as their support to the said program.
The following are the municipalities who received certificates and plaques of appreciation for being the most consistent in the submission of reports: Magallanes and Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte; San Francisco and Talacogon in Agusan del Sur; Socorro in Surigao del Norte; Hinatuan, Bayabas and San Miguel in Surigao del Sur; and San Jose and Cagdianao in the Province of Dinagat Island.
The said LGUs consistently submitted their reports before the 15th day of the 2nd month of every quarter. This includes list of paid and unpaid beneficiaries, photocopy of payroll, liquidation reports and others.
The following municipalities received the award for the Most Well-Organized Pay-out: Tubay, Kitcharao, San Francisco, Talacogon, Socorro, Claver, Tubod, Hinatuan, San Miguel, San Jose, Libjo, Cagdianao, and Loreto.
Meanwhile, the Model LGU in the implementation of transfer of funds to LGU scheme are the following: Kitcharao, San Francisco, Socorro, San Miguel and San Jose.
With this, Salingay is encouraging other LGUs to exert more efforts in the implementation of Social Pension in their respective municipalities.
Social Pension is a program of DSWD intended for the senior citizens ages from 60 and above who are frail/ sickly and with no pension either from SSS, GSIS, PVAO and other insurance companies. The beneficiaries receive Php500 every month which are distributed every quarter. ###(ABEGAIL R. ALVAREZ/Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)