In Filipino culture, caring for elders is not merely a social obligation—it is a moral one. From childhood, Filipinos are taught paggalang sa nakatatanda, or respect for those who came before us. Our grandparents and parents are seen as pillars of wisdom, sacrifice, and memory. Yet for all this reverence, many senior citizens today face old age with anxiety rather than security—counting coins for medicine, relying heavily on children who are themselves struggling, or continuing to work despite failing health.

The proposed Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens seeks to correct this. The House Special Committee on Senior Citizens’ approval of the committee report and substitute bill is a crucial step toward recognizing that senior citizens need the support of government to help them live with dignity.

Under the existing system, only indigent senior citizens are eligible to receive a monthly social pension of ₱1,000. Those who receive pensions from the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) are automatically excluded, even when these pensions are insufficient to cover basic daily and medical needs.

The approved substitute measure seeks to expand coverage by making the ₱1,000 monthly social pension universal, meaning all Filipino senior citizens aged 60 and above will be qualified to receive it—regardless of whether they are classified as indigent or are receiving SSS or GSIS pensions. This reform acknowledges a reality long ignored by policy: poverty in old age is not defined solely by income classification, and modest pensions do not guarantee a dignified life.

Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2020 Census, there are at least 9.2 million senior citizens in the country. Many of them may not meet the technical definition of indigent, yet live on fixed incomes that are rapidly eroded by rising food prices, utility costs, and healthcare expenses. Some remain contributors to household finances, helping raise grandchildren or supporting unemployed family members despite having little or no regular income of their own.

Representative Miro Quimbo, author of House Bill No. 1421, pointed out the unfairness of excluding SSS and GSIS pensioners from social pension coverage. Excluding those who worked, paid taxes, and supported themselves during their productive years is discriminatory. The amounts they receive from SSS or GSIS were computed decades ago, under economic conditions that no longer reflect today’s realities. As Quimbo emphasized, these pensions are no longer realistic when measured against daily and medical expenses in old age. An additional amount of ₱1,000, although still a small amount to meet todays rising prices of medicine can help cover expenses that come with ageing.

More than a financial measure, the Universal Social Pension bill is about restoring dignity. Filipino senior citizens spent their strongest years building families, sustaining communities, and contributing to national development. Farmers, factory workers, teachers, caregivers, and public servants labored without complaint, often without adequate retirement plans. To provide all of them a social pension of ₱1,000 is an act of respect.

As the measure heads to plenary deliberation, lawmakers must remember that this is not merely a budgetary discussion. It is a statement of national values. A society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable, and by whether it honors those who have given a lifetime of service.

Providing a social pension which does not exclude any sector is the first step. It is a tangible way of saying to our elders: “You are important, you are appreciated, and you are not forgotten.” In granting this measure that boosts dignity in old age, we strengthen the moral foundation of the nation itself. The next step should be increasing the amount to meet today's cost of living.