Universal social pension for 11 million seniors sought
MANILA, Philippines — A member of the House of Representatives has filed a bill that would provide all senior Filipino citizens a “universal social pension,” regardless if they are rich or poor.
House Bill 1296 or “Universal Social Pension Act” filed by Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos proposes to amend Republic Act 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010) by removing the indigency requirement that currently limits who may receive the government’s monthly pension.
Under existing laws, only indigent senior citizens – those without regular income or adequate support – are eligible for a P1,000 monthly stipend from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Santos’ proposal seeks to extend the pension to all Filipinos aged 60 and above, who number an estimated 11 million as of this year, with adjustments to the amount based on inflation and prevailing living standards.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that in 2018, total health spending for senior citizens reached P171.55 billion or 22 percent of the country’s P779.22 billion total health expenditures.
Fifty-nine percent of this was paid out-of-pocket by seniors and their families.
Santos urged the government to establish a dedicated fund for the program.
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