Anyone aged 70 or older in Tonga is now being paid a pension, after the age of eligibility was lowered by the government.
Radio Tonga reports that this is the first time the elderly aged between 70 and 74 have been eligible to receive social welfare payments.
The chief executive of the National Retirement Benefits and Social Welfare Board, Dr Leimoni Taufu'i, says that despite an economic crisis in the country, the government has still been able to prioritise the elderly.
According to Radio Tonga, more than 500 people have registered for the pension in Nuku'alofa district, with it expected to be rolled out to other districts in coming days.
