26,525 Elderly In Yogyakarta Proposed To Receive Social Assistance

Elderly lustration (ANTARA)

YOGYAKARTA - The Yogyakarta Special Region Government plans to provide social assistance (bansos) for life for the elderly. The Social Service also began mapping 26,525 aid recipients.

The Head of the DIY Social Service, Endang Patmintarsih, in Yogyakarta, said Monday that the mapping of the target data is targeted to be completed before the lifetime social assistance program discussed by the Governor of Yogyakarta Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X is proposed to the DIY DPRD.

"Now we have prepared the data first. We are ready with data on the poor elderly. However, the data that will be available for the program will only be processed," said Endang, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, February 6.

Endang said that referring to Sultan HB X's wishes, social assistance for life will be prioritized for the elderly who are not only poor, also have low education, and have no family.

"He is elderly, poor, maybe his education is only elementary school or not even school, then he may not have anything, his family is also poor, or maybe he doesn't have a family," he said.

However, sorting data on poor elderly people, according to Endang, is still needed to avoid social assistance recipients getting assistance twice or twice from the government.

Based on data from the DIY Social Service, Endang said the number of poor elderly people was recorded at 28,428 people.

If reduced again, as many as 26,525 elderly people in DIY live with their families or live alone at home and 1,803 elderly live in government-owned institutions and social welfare institutions in districts/cities.

Some of the poor people, according to Endang, have received assistance through the Family Hope Program (PKH), are guaranteed by the elderly, and some have been accommodated through programs in orphanages or halls.

"Some don't want to go to an orphanage, they want to stay at home, now that's what the governor wants it to be completed with the help of his life insurance," he said.

After the data is ready and proposed to the DIY DPRD, according to Endang, if it is finally approved, it will only be decided whether to use a pure APBD or use special funds (danais).

"The governor's wish has just been offered to the DPRD, if it is approved then we will move on whether to use pure APBD funds or use funds. Of course, it must be planned and reprocessed," said Endang.

Previously, Yogyakarta Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X discussed social assistance for life for poor people aged 60 years and over as an effort to reduce the poverty rate in his area which reached 11.49 percent of the total population or the highest on the island of Java.

Regarding the plan for life social assistance, the Sultan admitted that he had had a dialogue with the executive ranks and leaders of the DIY DPRD.

"For me, yes, it's about 60 years old, he's probably only an elementary school education, doesn't have any facilities, can't work, yes, he's just been helped to death (overall his life)," said Sultan.