DSWD Requires National ID for Senior Citizens to Claim Social Pension Starting April

(SPOT.ph) If a grandparent or parent in your household receives a social pension, you might want to check if they already have a National ID because it's about to be required soon.

Starting April 1, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will make the National ID the primary identification for payouts under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens program. Basically, this is what beneficiaries will be asked to show when claiming their allowance moving forward.

Under the Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010, the DSWD’s social pension program gives a P1,000 monthly allowance to indigent Filipinos aged 60 and above—specifically those who are frail, sickly, or living with disabilities. Payouts are released quarterly.

Just to be clear, not all seniors automatically qualify. The program is only meant for indigent beneficiaries—meaning those with no pension from government agencies like SSS, GSIS, or PVAO, no steady source of income, and not holding any appointed or elected barangay position. They also need to be listed under the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS).

In 2025, a total of 4,113,050 indigent senior citizens received social pension from the DSWD.

Also read: GUIDE: How to Access Your Digital National ID

Don't worry if your elders still don't have this ID. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is continuing registration for the National ID at over 200 sites nationwide. To make things easier, they’ll also be setting up Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) registration on payout days themselves, so seniors can sign up on the spot instead of making a separate trip.

However, if you've already ordered one but haven't received it yet, you can track the delivery status of your National ID via PHLPost.

There’s also a workaround for those who physically can’t leave home. Bedridden beneficiaries won’t be required to line up or travel—the PSA will conduct house visits to register them, so they can still continue receiving their benefits without interruption. You can reach out to DSWD via Globe (0917-110-5686 or 0917-827-2543) or Smart (0919-911-6200), or file a complaint through its online grievance system.

Previously, the system was more flexible—seniors could present a Senior Citizen ID or any other valid ID at payout sites. That flexibility has now been replaced with a single requirement, in line with broader government efforts to place the National ID at the top of the list of acceptable IDs for transactions.

Also read: PSA for Seniors: Any Valid ID Showing Age Can Be Used for That 20% Discount