Solon seeks P1000 monthly pension for indigent senior citizens

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Indigent senior citizens may soon receive a monthly pension of P1,000 if a proposed measure is signed into law.

Quezon City Representative Winston Castelo filed House Bill 2958 which seeks to provide for the monthly pension of poor senior citizens not covered by the Social Security System (SSS), the Government Security and Insurance System (GSIS) or other insurance companies.

Under the proposed measure, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will give monthly pension to indigent senior citizens identified under the national Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction. Priority will be given to those 80 years old and above, as well as those from poor regions such as Region V, VI, VII and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“Indigent senior citizens are those who are frail, sickly, with disabilities and without pension or a permanent source of income or support from the members of his family,” Castelo said.

“There is a need to create the Special Social Pension Program to fully democratize social and welfare benefits for those indigent senior citizens,” he added.