Ricardo Carpio has been working at the Office of the Senior Citizen Center in San Mateo, Rizal for the past 30 years and had witnessed the hardships of the elderly citizens and how badly they need assistance in order to meet their daily needs.

Mr. Carpio added that since he began to serve the senior citizens, there was no direct help and support for the elderly coming from the national government until the Social Pension Program.  On behalf of the senior citizens in his community, he is grateful for the monthly subsidy being provided especially to those who are indigent and abandoned by their families.

He also added that seeing the joy in the senior citizens whenever receiving their monthly subsidy is exceptional as it meant enabling them to respond to their respective basic and medical needs.  This, he said, is the only joy of the senior citizens.

The Municipality of San Mateo has a total of 108 senior citizens who are beneficiaries of the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizen Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.  Under the program, the said senior citizens (at least 80 years and receives no support and / or pension) receive a monthly subsidy of Php500.00 for their medical and other basic needs.

“Sana ituloy ng gobyerno, at hindi na huminto,” Mr. Carpio said. with reports from CMSSantiago***