MANILA, Philippines — Sen. JV Ejercito is seeking to double the monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens from P1,000 to P2,000, citing rising costs of food, medicines, health care and other basic necessities.
Ejercito filed Senate Bill 2522, which seeks to amend Republic Act 11916, the law governing the social pension program for indigent senior citizens.
“With the continuing rise in the prices of food, medicines, utilities, transportation, and health care, P1,000 a month is simply no longer sufficient to significantly support the daily needs of an elderly Filipino,” Ejercito said.
The senator said many senior citizens spend much of their limited income on maintenance medicines, medical consultations, food, rent, electricity and transportation.
“For many retirees, a modest monthly pension is quickly consumed by maintenance medicines, medical consultations, food, rent, electricity, transportation, and other necessities. The small statutory pension they receive every month is far from the financial security we envisioned for our seniors,” he said.
The bill would also expand the definition of an indigent senior citizen to cover Filipinos aged 60 and above who have no pension or permanent source of income, as well as those receiving pensions, compensation or financial assistance of not more than P10,000 a month, subject to determination by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
It would remove the existing requirement that beneficiaries be “frail, sickly or with disability” to qualify for the social pension.
Under the measure, the DSWD, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management and in consultation with relevant stakeholders, would review the pension every two years and adjust it when necessary.
The proposed adjustments would consider the consumer price index, poverty threshold, cost of living and other relevant economic indicators reported by government agencies.
