Romblon Gov. Trina Firmalo-Fabic has asked the national government to extend the social pension program to senior citizens who receive monthly pensions of less than ₱5,000 from the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Firmalo-Fabic made the appeal on Friday, October 2, during the province’s observance of Elderly Filipino Week 2026 in Looc town, according to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Romblon.
The governor said elderly Filipinos should not be excluded from additional government support only because they receive pensions earned from previous employment. She added that a law providing for a universal social pension already exists, but there are no formal guidelines and no funds from the national government for its implementation. She said this limits the number of beneficiaries in the municipalities.
Firmalo-Fabic asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to pass a resolution addressed to the Office of the President and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC). The resolution would request that senior citizens with low pensions be considered for the program.
Existing national program
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) runs the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program, known as SocPen. Under Republic Act No. 11916, which lapsed into law in July 2022, the monthly stipend rose from ₱500 to ₱1,000 starting January 2024, the DSWD has said.
The agency has stated that SocPen is intended for indigent senior citizens who are frail, sickly or have a disability, and who have no pension, permanent source of income or financial support from relatives. In August 2024, the DSWD said the program covered 4,085,066 beneficiaries nationwide. The agency has also described SocPen as separate from the universal social pension measure.
Provincial programs
Firmalo-Fabic also outlined Romblon’s own programs for senior citizens. The Romblon Health Access Program (R-HAP) gives qualified beneficiaries a free card worth ₱5,000 for maintenance medicines and other medical needs. She encouraged seniors who have difficulty buying medicines to apply through their municipal governments.
The provincial government has set up Governor’s Health Desks in every municipality and public hospital. The desks handle requests for medical assistance, burial assistance and free ward confinement.
For bedridden seniors, the province runs the DEPARA Program with the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. It provides home visits, personal care, and aid such as free milk and rice.
The governor also cited the Cash-for-Work and Food-for-Work programs, which the province carries out with the DSWD and municipal social welfare offices. Activities include vegetable gardening, meant to give senior citizens added livelihood opportunities.
Firmalo-Fabic said the programs aim to protect the health and welfare of elderly residents, help meet their daily needs, and allow them to live healthier lives with their families.
