BUTUAN CITY—At least 2,999 senior citizens in Surigao del Sur’s city of Bislig have benefited from the June 8-10 distribution of social pension monetary assistance in the area.

“The three-day distribution activity was facilitated by the city social welfare office at the Bislig City Cultural and Sports Center,” the city information office (CIO) said in a statement.

CIO said the beneficiaries came from the city’s 24 barangays.

“Each of the beneficiaries received P2,000 local social pension grants,” the office said.

The cash grants represent the P500 monthly allowance to the senior citizens in the area for the period of four months, or from March to June.

The social pension is seen responding to the needs of senior citizens, especially during the continuing threat of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Caraga Region has achieved a 71 percent Covid-19 vaccination rate, the Department of Health in the area (DOH-13) said Wednesday.

The percentage translates to 1,610,706 fully inoculated residents as of June 5.

“A total of 3,350,788 Covid vaccines have so far been administered in the region as of the same day,” DOH-13 said in a report.

Booster shots administered during the same period have reached 204,340, the report said. Among the priority sectors, individuals in the A4 category (frontline personnel in essential sectors) have the highest number of full vaccination with 357,207; followed by the ROAP (rest of adult population) with 269,348; and ROPP (rest of pediatric population aged 12 to 17) with 250,913.

Under the A5 category or indigenous population in the region, a total of 218,022 individuals are fully vaccinated during the period; 213,682 in the A3 (persons with comorbidities); 172,643 in the A2 (senior citizens); and 54,935 in the A1 (frontline health workers).

DOH-13 also reported the full vaccination of 2,305 children aged 12 to 17 who have comorbidities.

The rest of the fully vaccinated individuals in the region are the outbound Overseas Filipino Workers and pregnant women. (PNA)