Camarinea Sur 5th district Rep. Migz Villafuerte and 2nd district Rep. Luigi Villafuerte are eyeing by way of legislation a P500 universal monthly social pension for elderly Filipinos, including those who are considered indigent.

This proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) No. 2048, which says that the monthly P500 stipend will be doubled to P1,000 in five years’ time.

The Villafuertes says that an estimated four million indigent senior citizens who are already getting a monthly socpen of P1,000 under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) Program—as provided for by Republic Act (RA) No. 9994 and RA  11916—will continue to receive this higher pension of P1,000 even if HB No.2048 becomes a law.

The bill allows any senior citizen to waive this monthly stipend, and directs the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and of Budget and Management (DBM) to review this socpen and adjust its amount within two years of this Act’s effectivity, based on the emerging needs of the elderly, cost of living adjustments, and the latest economic indicators.  

"In recognition of the significant contribution to nation-building of elderly Filipinos, who have passed down generations of skills, knowledge and wisdom that continue to shape our way of life and preserve our rich traditions and cultural heritage, and customs, a slew of laws have been enacted for their economic and social benefit,” Migz said.

“Even in old age, many of our seniors remain active as members of local councils, as church leaders, or as  professionals in their respective communities,” said the chairman of the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Luigi pointed out, though, that “despite the numerous legislative measures meant to keep senior citizens in the mainstream of society, the current monthly socpen pension for them remains exclusionary.

"The inflation rate that leads to the rise in the cost of goods and services affects even those who are not officially classified as indigents," he noted.

Thus, Luigi said HB No.2048 seeks “to address the current limitations by ensuring all senior citizens, regardless of their social status, receive equal treatment from the government through a universal pension".

He explained that the bill “mandates a monthly stipend of P500 for senior citizens who are previously not considered as indigents. Within five years, this amount shall increase to a minimum of P1,000 per month to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of all senior citizens, whether receiving a pension from any pension provider".

This measure is a refiled bill from the 19th Congress that was approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives and then transmitted to the Senate. 

The two other authors of the bill are Camarines Sur 1st district Rep. Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata and Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there were 9,242,121 senior citizens as of 2020. However, other estimates place the number as high as 11 million.