House approves bill increasing elderly social pension to P1,000
THE House Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday approved the bill increasing the social pension of senior citizens from P500 to P1,000.
Under the unnumbered substitute bill, all senior citizens, whether receiving a pension from any pension provider, shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to at least P1,000 to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs.
The bill amends Republic Act 9994, or an act granting additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens.
House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, one of the authors of the bill, said the approval is a very positive development especially now in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic where our seniors are very vulnerable.
“The bill, which we have been pushing since 2016, will now give at least P1,000 per month to qualified senior citizens,” said the progressive solon.
“This will at least boost the meager funds our seniors have so that they can buy more food and medicine. We hope that our Senate colleagues can also fast-track the counterpart bill or adopt the House version so that it can be immediately enacted into law,” Zarate added.
Under the bill, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall prepare a roster of individuals who are eligible for the monthly social pension based on a central database, which includes the census of population and housing and a compilation of the beneficiaries of all pension providers. The Social Security System, Government Service Insurance System, the Pension and Gratuity Management Center and other pension providers shall provide the DSWD with access to their roster of beneficiaries every month for this purpose. The Philippine Statistics Authority will likewise provide the DSWD with timely access to pertinent data for this purpose.
Also, the measure said the DSWD, in consultation with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), as well as other stakeholders, shall review and when necessary, adjust the amount of social pension every two years after the effectivity of this proposal, taking into account the various needs of senior citizens and relevant economic indicators, as reported and published by pertinent government agencies and authorities.
It also said that the implementation, distribution, and management of the social pension shall be transferred from the DSWD to the National Commission on Senior Citizens (NCSC) within a period not exceeding three years from the effectivity of the proposal.
The measure added that the amount necessary for the implementation of the proposed act shall be charged to the current appropriations of the DSWD within a period not exceeding three years. Thereafter, the amount needed for the continued implementation of this act shall be included in the budget of the NCSC.