Press Release
May 23, 2022

MANIFESTATION OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON THE 2ND READING OF THE UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS
May 23, 2022

Good afternoon, Mr. President.

In less than two weeks, the 18th Congress is about to adjourn sine die. And in the few days leading up to this, we hope to pass a bill increasing the social pension of senior citizens from P500.00 to P1,000.00. I am thankful to the Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development for its efforts in pushing this forward.

The existing social pension fund for indigent lolos and lolas has in some way provided relief to over 3.7 million indigent senior citizens. However, studies have shown that the means-tested scheme of provided for in the current law excludes a significant number of vulnerable older persons. Marami sa kanila na hindi sapat ang kinikita o natatanggap na tulong upang sila ay mabuhay na may dignidad. Sa harap ng kahirapang ito, marami sa kanila ang hindi makapasa sa mahigpit na requirements ng kasalukuyang social pension. Mas lalong pinahirapan ng pandemya ang sitwasyon ng ating mga bulnerableng nakatatanda, bukod sa marami sa kanila ang nawalan ng hanapbuhay ay nawalan din ng pinagkakakitaan ang mga inaasahan nila sa kanilang pang-araw araw na pangangailangan.

When I filed Senate Bill 160 or the Lingap Para kay Lolo at Lola Act, which was a product of extensive consultations with stakeholders and advocates, it was in the hope that we not only double their social pension but to provide income security in the form of a universal social pension for all our senior citizens. In a country where poverty makes growing old an added challenge, universal social pension will not only provide much needed financial assistance for them but would also enable an increase in household spending and consumption, and which in turn can help drive local economies.

Mr. President, naniniwala po ako na nasa puso ng mga miyembro ng Senado ang kapakanan ng ating mga nakatatanda, at nais ng bawat isa sa atin na mabigyan sila ng kaukulang pagkilala sa kanilang mahaba at patuloy na kontribusyon sa ating mga pamilya at sa ating lipunan. Having said this, kindly allow me to reiterate my call for a universal social pension for our senior citizens. Maraming salamat po.

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