By Lane Afable, News Editor
Indigent senior citizens may still use other government-issued identification cards when claiming their social pension, even as the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) National ID remains the primary requirement, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.
DSWD Disaster Response Management Group Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency is maintaining flexibility to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is denied access to assistance.
“Although the National ID is the main requirement, our seniors may still use other valid government-issued IDs. The important thing is to verify their identity so they can continue receiving their social pension,” Dumlao said.
She stressed that the agency is committed to ensuring uninterrupted access to benefits, citing the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to make government services more accessible to vulnerable sectors.
In a March 21 advisory, the DSWD said seniors who have yet to secure a National ID will not be denied benefits, provided they or their authorized representatives can present any valid government-issued ID.
Accepted secondary IDs include those issued by the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration.
Other valid IDs include voter’s ID, driver’s license, overseas Filipino worker ID, postal ID, tax identification number ID, persons with disabilities ID, Social Security System Unified Multi-Purpose ID;
Government Service Insurance System e-card, solo parent ID, seaman’s book, and Professional Regulation Commission ID, among others bearing the holder’s name, photo, and address.
The DSWD said it is also working with the Philippine Statistics Authority to assist beneficiaries in registering for the National ID system.
