TESDAMAN: Pensyon ng Senior Citizens, doblehin na!

Isinulong ni Sen. Joel "TESDAMAN" Villanueva na gawing Php 1,000 na ang buwanang social pension para mga senior citizens, at sinabing ito ang pinakamaliit na bagay na pwedeng gawin ng gobyerno para sa sektor na isa sa mga pinaka-apektado ng pandemya, pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, at ng inflation.

"Hindi po sapat ang kasalukuyang Php 500 monthly allowance para sa mga pang-araw-araw na pangangailangan at gamot ng ating mga nakakatandang Pilipino. Pangalawang taon na po ng pandemya, nagtaasan na po ang mga presyo ng bilihin, pero wala pa ring umento sa kanilang pensyon. Parangalan at respetuhin po natin sila sa pamamagitan ng mas maayos na pensyon," sabi ng senador.

Bilang subcommittee chair ng Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development on the Senior Citizen Social Pension Bills, dininig ni Villanueva noong Enero ang walong panukalang batas na nagdadagdag ng mga benepisyo para sa mga indigent senior citizens.

Inulit ng senador ang kanyang panawagan para sa umento sa pensyon sa isang pagpupulong kasama ng mga senior citizens sa Quezon City ngayong araw (Abril 21), kung saan sinabi rin niya na mahigit isang dekada nang hinihintay ng mga senior citizen ang dagdag pensyon mula nang maisabatas ang Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

"Hindi na po dapat tayo naghihintay ng isa pang dekada o isa pang pandemya para lang paginhawahin ang nalalabing panahon ng ating mga lolo at lola," sabi ni Villanueva.

Binanggit din ng senador na inuutos ng Senate Bill No. 2506 sa ilalim ng Committee Report No. 597 na suriin ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ang halaga ng pensyon kada dalawang taon batay sa umiiral na consumer price index ng Philippine Statistics Authority at iba pang economic indicators.

"In fact, dapat talagang may review kada dalawang taon ayon sa Expanded Senior Citizens Act. Kung maisabatas ito, sisiguruhin natin na regular ang pagpapatupad ng pagusuri para angkop sa panahon ang pensyon," sabi ni Villanueva

Umaasa rin ang senador na pumasa ang panukalang batas sa pagbabalik ng Kongreso matapos ang halalan sa Mayo.

Batay sa datos ng DSWD, aabot sa mahigit 3.8 milyon ang indigent Filipinos na may edad 60 at pataas. Sa Php 500 kada buwan, nasa Php 23.6 bilyon kada taon ang allotment para sa social pension.

"Para sa bansang labis ang pagpapahalaga sa ating mga lolo at lola, hindi naman po siguro kalabisan na madoble ang allotment na ito kada taon. Huwag na nating patagalin ang pagbigay sa kanila ng karampatang respeto at dignidad," sabi ni Villanueva.

Si Villanueva din ang co-author ng Republic Act No. 11350, o ang National Commission of Senior Citizens Act, na tinitiyak ang full implementation ng mga batas, polisiya, at programa para sa mga senior citizen.

TESDAMAN: Raising senior citizens pension to P1,000 long overdue

Sen. Joel "TESDAMAN" Villanueva is pushing to increase the monthly social pension of senior citizens to Php 1,000, saying that it is the least the government can do for a sector that is one of the worst hit by the pandemic, rising cost of fuel, and inflation.

"The current Php 500 monthly allowance is not enough for daily subsistence and medical needs of our elderly Filipinos. The pandemic is in its second year, and prices have gone up, and yet their monthly allowance didn't change. Let's honor and respect them with a better pension," Villanueva said.

The subcommittee chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development on the Senior Citizen Social Pension Bills held a hearing last January on eight legislative measures proposing additional benefits for indigent elder Filipinos.

The senator reiterated the call to increase this pension during a meeting with senior citizens in Quezon City today (April 21), where he said that elderly Filipinos have waited more than a decade for this increase since the enactment of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

"We shouldn't wait for another 10 years or another pandemic just to improve the precious time left for our lolos and lolas," he said.

The senator pointed out that Senate Bill No. 2506 under Committee Report No. 597 also mandates the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to review the pension's amount every two years based on the prevailing consumer price index as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority and relevant economic indicators.

"In fact, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act already provides for a two-year review of the stipend. Once passed into law, we will make sure that the regularity of the review is enforced so that the rate of the pension keeps up with the times," Villanueva said.

The senator added that he is hoping that the measure can be passed into law when Congress goes back in session after the May elections.

Based on data from DSWD, the country currently has more than 3.8 million indigent Filipinos aged 60 and over. With the current Php 500 rate, the government allots Php 23.6 billion every year for the monthly stipend.

"For a country that prides itself in how we take care of its elderly, doubling the allotment for lolo and lola should not be seen as excessive. The respect and dignity they deserve is long overdue," Villanueva said.

Villanueva is also the co-author of Republic Act No. 11350, or the National Commission of Senior Citizens Act, that ensures the full implementation of laws, policies, and programs of the government for senior citizens.

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