February 17, 2011

DSWD ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 003-11

I. Operational Policies

a. The DSWD National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) data shall be the basis in determining the age and economic status of the potential beneficiaries. TEcHCA

b. Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend in the amount of Five Hundred Pesos (Php500.00) effective January 2011 to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens, which amount shall be subject to a review every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

c. Senior Citizens (SC) who are receiving pension from the GSIS, SSS or AFPMBAI and other private insurance company and with permanent source of income, or regular support from his/her relatives to meet his/her basic needs are not entitled to the monthly stipend.

d. In cases where SC are not included in the NHTS-PR data, indigent senior citizens can apply at the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) subject to assessment by the OSCA and City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO).

e. The project shall be implemented nationwide by the DSWD thru its Field Offices (FO) and in coordination with the Local Government Unit (LGUs)-C/MSWDOs, OSCA and Senior Citizens Organizations (SCO).

f. The DSWD Field Office shall establish a Regional Social Pension Unit (RSPU) composed of the Assistant Regional Director, Operation Division Chief, and Focal Person on Senior Citizens, Project Officer, Finance Officer and Administrative Staff. EcTCAD

II. Coverage

A. For Calendar Year 2011 with a budget appropriation of P870,996,000.00

A total of 145,166 indigent senior citizens will be served which represents 14% of the total 1,043,745 senior citizens ages 60 years old and above. (NHTS-PR 2010 data).

Out of the 145,166 indigent senior citizens targeted, this shall be broken down as follows:

Indigent Senior Citizens who are aged 77 years old and above who meets the eligibility criteria will be served.

B. For CY 2012 onwards

For CY 2012 onward, the Department shall target the remaining 898,579 identified indigent senior citizens (NHTS-PR 2010) as potential social pensioners to include the projected increase of senior citizen.

III. Implementing Procedures

a. Identification/Verification of Social Pensioner

1. The DSWD-National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) will provide disaggregated data of the members of poor households who are 60 years old and above and their complete socio-economic information/background to the Social Pension Project Management Office (SPMO) which will serve as the MASTERLIST. AcSIDE

2. The SPMO will provide the Field Office the REGIONAL LIST of potential Social Pensioners.

3. The Regional Social Pension Unit (RSPU) will provide the concerned OSCA/C/MSWDO the MUNICIPAL/CITY LIST of potential social pensioners for verification/confirmation.

4. OSCA in coordination with the C/MSWDO and assistance of the Senior Citizen Organizations will conduct the necessary verification and home visit to potential Social Pensioners using the social pension intake sheet which shall be accomplished in triplicate copies. One will be for OSCA/C/MSWDO, RSPU and Social Pensioners.

5. The verified list submitted by OSCA and confirmed by C/MSWDO and the intake sheets shall be forwarded to the RSPU.

6. The RSPU shall maintain data bank and consolidate the verified list of social pensioners' vis- -vis the master list.

7. In case of inconsistencies or alterations in the list, the RSPU shall conduct further assessment and verification.

8. Result of the findings shall be discussed with the OSCA and C/MSWDO for appropriate action.

9. The RSPU shall forward copy of the final list of the social pensioners to the OSCA for posting and to the SPMO as basis for the request of payment. DACaTI

10. The OSCA shall post for one (1) week the verified list of social pensioners to conspicuous places with the signature of the OSCA Head, C/MSWDO Head and Authorized Representative of the Senior Citizens Organizations.

b. Notification of Social Pensioner

1. OSCA will immediately inform the beneficiaries and their family through a written notification on their approval as Social Pensioner, and the date of the enrollment;

2. Regional Social Pension Focal Person and LGUs will conduct one (1) day enrollment and orientation to the Social Pensioner and to their authorized representative on the procedures in the availment of the Social Pension;

3. Social Pensioner will proceed to the designated area to undertake the following:

Present a copy of the written notification accomplished Intake Sheet

Picture taking for the issuance of ID

Fill-up the Land Bank enrollment forms

4. OSCA ID will be utilized as temporary Social Pension ID while the permanent Social Pension ID is being processed.

5. For social pensioners who are immobile (i.e., bedridden, sick) the OSCA together with the Land Bank personnel will facilitate the enrollment of the social pensioner with the Land Bank. cCEAHT

c. Social Pension (Stipend) Payment

1. The release of stipend shall be done on a quarterly basis (March, June, September and December).

2. The SPMO will adopt the most cost-effective and efficient mode of social pension provision i.e., Landbank ATM/Cash Card and through cash advance by a designated Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) as an interim solution.

3. The SPMO through the Financial Management Service will sub-allot funds to the Regional Office based on submitted final Regional list of social pensioners.

4. For Landbank ATM, the Regional Office will prepare the payroll for onward submission to the Land Bank of the Philippines.

5. For cash advance, the Regional Office will prepare the payroll and facilitate the payment direct to the social pensioners in coordination with the OSCA/C/MSWDO and LGU.

6. The Regional Office shall advise the OSCA/C/MSWDO on the availability of funds in Landbank ATM/Cash Card of the beneficiaries. In case of pay-out through cash advance, schedule must be furnished.

7. The OSCA/C/MSWDO shall submit a quarterly financial report to the RSPU as basis for the subsequent payments.

8. The OSCA/C/MSWDO shall submit monthly monitoring report to the RSPU as basis for the subsequent payments.

9. The RSPU shall submit a regional quarterly financial report to the FMS copy furnished the SPMO.

d. Replacement Procedure

1. In case of death, withdrawal due to change of status of the social pensioner, the OSCA/MSWDO shall submit a written report to RSPU for updating of the regional list. The RSPU shall transmit same report after thorough verification to the SPMO for delisting. aIDHET

2. The SPMO shall forward the names of potential social pensioners for replacement based on the priority list of the NHTS-PR data on the basis of economic status and age.

3. The same enrollment procedures shall be followed for replacement of social pensioner.

4. In case of transfer of residence of the social pensioner, the transferee should inform the OSCA of his/her transfer of residence to facilitate continuous availment of the stipend. The OSCA shall submit a written report with necessary supporting documents i.e., letter from the transferee or Certification from the Barangay Captain as to the transfer of residence of the social pensioner to the RSPU for updating of the regional list. The RSPU shall transmit same report after thorough verification to the SPMO for updating of data.

5. The SPMO shall submit written report of the transfer of the social pensioner to the concerned RSPU where the social pensioner transferred. The RSPU concerned will then inform the OSCA/C/MSWDO for verification/confirmation.

e. Monitoring of the Social Pension Implementation

1. OSCA will conduct monthly monitoring or as need arises in partnership with the SCOs and C/MSWDO, particularly on the areas of:

b. ^* Unclaimed Monthly stipend

c. Status of a Social Pensioner

2. The Regional Social Pension focal person shall conduct regular monitoring and spot check whenever necessary;

3. The SPMO shall provide technical assistance to the Regional Social Pension Unit monthly or as the need arises.

f. Reporting

g. Grievance

In attending to queries and complaints, the following should be observed:

Any individual or institution could file and inform the OSCA, C/MSWDO or the RSPU by filing a written complaint.

OSCA and C/MSWDO representative will act on the complaint and shall submit written report to RSPU of action taken on the case.

RSPU shall act on the action taken by the OSCA and C/MSWDO.

SPMO shall act on elevated complaints by the RSPU.

h. Evaluation

The Policy and Development and Planning Bureau (PDPB) of the DSWD will conduct evaluation of the Social Pension one year after its initial implementation and every two years thereafter.

IV. Fund Management

The Fund Management for the implementation of the social pension of this operational procedure is attached as "ANNEX A".

V. Effectivity

This Operational Guidelines shall take effect immediately and rescind orders which may be contrary to it.

Issued in Quezon City this 17th day of February 2011.

(SGD.) CORAZON JULIANO-SOLIMAN
Secretary
Department of Social Welfare and Development

ANNEX A

SOCIAL PENSION PROGRAM FOR INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

A. Fund Management

The provision of social pension of P500.00 per eligible indigent senior citizen is funded through the regular budget of the Department and shall follow the regular procedures on government expenditures.

The Operation Division shall prepare the payroll to be approved by the Field Director for submission to Management Division Finance Unit for checking and verification. The FO shall submit DSWD Program Management Bureau (PMB) the request for funding. Upon review and validation, the PMB will request the transfer of sub-allotment release order (sub-ARO) and Notice of Transfer of Allocation (NTA) equivalent to three (3) months subsidy thru the Financial Management Service (FMS) subject for approval by the head of OCBG and GASSG. cDAEIH

B. Mode of Payment

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be entered into with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) as conduit for the payment of social pension to beneficiaries thru the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Cash Card. The LBP transfers/credits the social pension to the individual ATM account of the beneficiaries electronically via the cash card issued by LBP.

In consideration of time, while the enrolling and processing of individual account of the beneficiaries is on-going, payment will be made thru Cash Advance of a Special Disbursing Officer (SDO) to be designated by the Field Office. This is an interim solution in order to facilitate the program implementation. With the cash advance, the SDO, who is a bonded official or employee of the DSWD shall be given cash advance equivalent to the approved payroll for a given quarter subject for liquidation within fifteen (15) days upon payment.

C. Payment Arrangement

I. ATM Cash Card

FO-Finance Unit

1. Validates the name of beneficiaries and account number thru the FinDES provided by the LBP

2. Encodes the approved amount granted to the beneficiaries

3. Prints the Cash Card Summary Report to be certified by the Head Cashier and for approval by the Field Director

4. Issues check payable to LBP for the total pension

5. Submit the Cash Card Summary Report with an electronic copy together with the check issued

Land Bank of the Philippines Regional Servicing Branch

1. Checks the correctness of the Cash Card Summary Report and validates the electronic copy (e-copy)

2. Issues Official Receipt pertaining to the check issued IHEDAT

3. Transmits the funds to the account of the beneficiaries

II. Cash Advance thru SDO

FO-Finance Unit/SDO

1. Validates the total amount of payroll with the summary of beneficiaries per municipality

2. Issues check in the name of bonded SDO

3. Encash the check for the payment of stipend to individual beneficiary per municipality

4. Pays the beneficiaries identified by the Focal Person and witnessed by C/MSWDO

5. Ensures that the payroll is signed by the beneficiaries and witnessed by the focal person and C/MSWDO

6. Prepares liquidation report for the cash advance within fifteen (15) days upon payment

D. Recording and Reporting

For Cash Card, the disbursement shall be recorded directly as expense in the books of accounts. While, for Cash Advance thru SDO, the payment will only be recorded as expense upon submission of liquidation report and supporting documents as follows:

1. Copy of Disbursement Vouchers and supporting documents of cash advance

2. Liquidation Report

3. Payroll

The FO shall prepare and submit the following monitoring reports to Central Office on quarterly basis for management purposes: aSIETH

1. Statement of Social Pension Fund Utilization

2. Registry of Paid Beneficiaries per Barangay, Municipality and Province