Villanueva to DBM: Ensure funds for indigent seniors' pension hike

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, principal sponsor of the Increased Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens Law, asked the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to pull out all the stops to ensure funding in the increase of the monthly social pension of the country's indigent senior citizens.

The proposed National Expenditure Program for 2024 appropriates P49.80 billion for the social pension of indigent seniors for their P1,000 per month stipend.

However, Villanueva noted that for 2023, the social pension of indigent senior citizens disbursed remain at P 500 per month despite the passage of the law doubling the amount last year.

"Maawa naman po tayo sa ating mga senior citizens. Ibigay na po ang dagdag pension na dapat ay natatanggap na nila," Villanueva said.

"Bakit po ang flood control program na mayroong budget na P1.074 bilyon kada araw, ngunit hindi nararamdaman ang epekto, ay madali pong napopondohan, pero itong ayuda na kailangan na kailangan ng ating mga lolo at lola ay hirap na hirap po tayong hanapan ng pondo?" Villanueva added.

Under the 2023 General Appropriations Act, an amount of P 25.30 billion has been appropriated for the social pension of indigent senior citizens.

In addition to this, P 25 billion in unprogrammed funds was earmarked to cover the additional pension. Republic Act No. 11916, which was sponsored by Villanueva during the 18th Congress, mandates a 100% increase in the monthly pension -- from P500 to P1,000 -- of the country's indigent seniors, estimated at about 4.1 million to date.

The law amended Republic Act 7432, the first Senior Citizens Act. During the budget briefing at the Senate, the DBM acknowledged that no funds have been released yet from the Unprogrammed Funds for the additional pension, which means that no indigent senior pensioner has received the increase this year.

"Our elderlies are pinning their hopes on the release of the unprogrammed funds to get their pension," Villanueva said.

"Sa mahabang panahon ng paglalaan ng lakas sa kanilang pamilya at sa bansa, bigyan naman po natin sila ng kaunting ginhawa," Villanueva added.

Villanueva sa DBM: Tiyakin ang pondo para sa pension hike ng indigent seniors

Hiniling ni Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva, principal sponsor ng Increased Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens Law, sa Department of Budget and Management (DBM) na siguruhing may nakalaang pondo para sa dagdag na buwanang social pension ng mga indigent senior citizen.

Sa 2024 National Expenditure Program, naglaan ng P49.80 bilyon para sa P1,000 kada buwan na social pension ng mga indigent senior citizen.

Subalit, iginiit ni Villanueva na sa taong 2023, nananatiling P500 kada buwan ang social pension ng mga indigent senior citizen, kahit na naipasa ang batas na nagdodoble sa halaga nito noong nakaraang taon.

"Maawa naman po tayo sa ating mga senior citizens. Ibigay na po ang dagdag pension na dapat ay natatanggap na nila," sabi ni Villanueva.

"Bakit po ang flood control program na mayroong budget na P1.074 bilyon kada araw, ngunit hindi nararamdaman ang epekto, ay madali pong napopondohan, pero itong ayuda na kailangan na kailangan ng ating mga lolo at lola ay hirap na hirap po tayong hanapan ng pondo?" dagdag niya.

Sa ilalim ng 2023 General Appropriations Act, P25.30 bilyon ang inilaang pondo para sa social pension ng mga indigent senior citizens. May inilaan ding P25 bilyon sa ilalim ng unprogrammed funds para sa dagdag pensiyon.

Mandato ng Republic Act No. 11916, inisponsoran ni Villanueva noong 18th Congress, na dagdagan ng 100 porsiyento ang buwanang pensiyon - P1,000 mula sa dating P500 - ng mga indigent senior citizen, na tinatayang nasa 4.1 milyon sa kasalukuyan.

Inamiyendahan ng batas ang Republic Act No. 7432, ang unang Senior Citizens Act. Sa budget briefing sa Senado, sinabi ng DBM na wala pang pondong nailabas mula sa unprogrammed funds para sa dagdag na pensiyon, na nangangahulugang wala pang indigent senior citizen na nakakatanggap ng dagdag pensiyon sa taong ito.

"Our elderlies are pinning their hopes on the release of the unprogrammed funds to get their pension," ani Villanueva.

"Sa mahabang panahon ng paglalaan ng lakas sa kanilang pamilya at sa bansa, bigyan naman po natin sila ng kaunting ginhawa," dagdag pa niya.