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Recognizing lolos’ and lolas’ role in society: Sen. Imee Marcos, chairperson of the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, presides over a hearing on several measures concerning senior citizens' welfare and privileges. Marcos said that while Sen. Risa Hontiveros' intention for Senate Bill No. (SBN) 141 or an Act Granting Universal Social Pension to all Senior Citizens, is noble, it would require a huge amount of funding. She stressed that the measure would require P165 billion. What is needed, she said, is to update the existing social pension for Indigent senior citizens amounting to P1,000 each which requires P49 billion. She said she fought for its funding for the 2024 national budget amounting to P49.807 billion covering 4.085 million marginalized senior citizens. The amount, however, is insufficient because there are 490,000 more senior citizens in the waitlist. “What is the update (on the payout for indigent senior citizen) for 2024?” Marcos asked. The senator was told by representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development that it started social pension payouts to 754,000 senior citizens since January 2024. Aside from SBN 141, other measures involving emoluments are SBNs 1066 and 2169 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act); SBN 2223 and 262 on discount and privileges; and SBN 1799 or the Comprehensive Senior Citizen Welfare Act. The committee also discussed measures on other senior citizen privileges and elderly infrastructure. (Nelson Ortiz/Senate PRIB)