Manila, June 11 -- The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) announced on Wednesday that it has distributed nearly PHP300 million in annual financial assistance to 166,663 senior citizens in the city.

In a radio interview, Ruth Naive, the focal person of the Senior Citizen Welfare Program, said all elderly beneficiaries received PHP1,500 each for their 2024 subsidy and that preparations for the grant of 2025 financial assistance are now underway.

"We are currently working closely with the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) to begin the payout process for the 2025 budget by August," she said, adding that this year's budget will maintain the standard subsidy at PHP1,500 per senior citizen.

Naive also noted that OSCA is...