MANILA, Philippines – Ipinanukala ni Senador Risa Hontiveros ang pagbibigay ng P1,500 buwanang social pension sa lahat ng senior citizen upang makatulong sa pang-araw araw na pangangailangan.
Ito ay kasunod ng kauna-unahang pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development nitong Miyerkules, Agosto 20 para sa Senate Bill No. 215, o Lingap Para Kay Lolo at Lola Act.
Si Hontiveros ang may-akda ng panukala na naglalayong amyendahan ang ilang probisyon ng Expanded Senior Citizens Act o Republic Act No. 9994.
“The needs of our grandparents increase as they grow older, especially when it comes to their health. But many of them can no longer afford to buy their medicines. That’s why sometimes they choose to spend on food, water, or electricity instead of medicines,” ani Hontiveros.
Sa paggigiit ng pangangailangan para sa universal social pension, tinukoy ni Hontiveros ang datos mula sa Philippine Statistics Authority na nagpapakitang mayroong nasa 11 milyong senior citizen sa bansa at karamihan sa mga ito ay may mga sakit na nangangailangan ng maintenance medicines.
“Whenever it’s our grandparents’ birthday, we always wish them good health and a long life. But how can we help prolong their lives if they don’t have the means to buy their medicines?” tanong pa ni Hontiveros.
“Taking care of the most vulnerable of our society, including our elderly, is a constitutional mandate. To our grandparents—you were the first to build the Filipino family, and you are the reason we have reached where we are today,” dagdag pa.
Sa ilalim ng Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Program ng Department of Social Welfare and Development, ang kasalukuyang social pension sa mga senior citizen ay nasa P1,000 kada buwan at limitado lamang sa mga indigent.
Ang tulong ay unang itinakda sa P500 ngunit itinaas sa P1,000 noong Enero 2024 kasunod ng pagpasa ng Republic Act No. 1196, o “An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Senior Citizens,” noong Hulyo 2022. RNT/JGC
