Butuan City – The biometric registration for Social Pension beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga already started in the 2nd quarter of this year.

As to date, 5,580 social pensioners from the different municipalities have already been registered.

“The purpose of biometric registration is for the Local Government Units (LGUs) to have full control and monitor their respective beneficiaries as to the identification, delisting and replacement. Also, it will help them in preparation of their liquidation report-one of the raised issues by the LGUs.” said Regional Director Minda Brigoli.

“Aside from it, through biometric registration, the office can detect multiple and double entries of beneficiaries within the LGU because it will store all information in the regional database of the system,” she added.

Kevin Bagaipo, IT officer of Social Pension, explained that the registration biometric is dependent on the availability of LGUs devices intended for registration.

Sarah Rose Salingay, Focal Person of Social Pension Program, said that the full blast implementation is within the 3rd quarter of this year.

The Social Pension Information System is the Field Office-initiated system to establish accurate date of information of beneficiaries. It aims to enhance the organizations communication, reduce human labor specially in the preparation of payroll for eligible beneficiaries.

As to date, there are 82, 765 indigent senior citizens in the region ages 60 and above who have availed the Social Pension program of DSWD in the form of financial assistance. Each beneficiary receives Php500 per month. ###(ABEGAIL R. ALVAREZ/Social Marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)