Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva has urged the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to make sure that there will be funding for the increase in the monthly social pension of the country's indigent senior citizens.
 
Villanueva, the principal sponsor of the Increased Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens Law, said that 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 remains at P500 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 (Let's look after our senior citizens. Let's give the additional pension that they should be receiving)," 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.

He then questioned how the flood control program gets its respective allocation, having a budget of P1.074 billion per day when its effects can't be felt when on the other hand, the aid that is greatly needed by the elderly can't be fulfilled.
 
According to Villanueva, under the 2023 General Appropriations Act, an amount of P 25.30 billion has been appropriated for the social pensions 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 he sponsored 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 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 (For the long time that they exerted efforts for their family and the country, let's give them a sense of comfort)," he added.