Former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez has led the filing of a bill that seeks to establish a monthly pension and social protection program for elderly, disabled, and indigent farmers who are not covered by existing retirement systems.

House Bill (HB) No.7663, also known as the proposed Comprehensive Farmers' Pension and Social Protection Act, provides a monthly pension of P3,000 to all qualified elderly farmers, among other benefits.

The Romualdez measure aims to implement the Farmers' Pension Program through the Department of Agriculture (DA), in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

"The creation of a pension program for qualified elderly farmers is crucial for providing financial security, reducing poverty, and ensuring a decent standard of living in their later years, as they are often considered among the poorest in society with limited access to formal, consistent income," read the bill's explanatory note.

"Because many farmers face low, variable incomes and often work past traditional retirement age due to financial necessity, pensions offer a guaranteed, regular income source, reducing their dependence on family members or the need to sell off assets to cover living expenses," it added.

The envisioned Farmers' Pension Program will also provide basic life and disability insurance to indigent and disabled farmers not covered by the Government Service Insurance Svstem GSIS) or the Social Security System (SSS), as well as institutionalize a Farmer Social Protection Database that will enable targeted health, housing, and livelihood support for qualified beneficiaries.

The insurance packages include basic life insurance amounting to at least P50,000; accident and disability assistance up to P25,000 per eligible claim; and access to burial benefits, emergency loans, and social case management.

Implementation shall be led by the PCIC, with premium subsidies sourced from this act's appropriations.

The bill provides that any person, whether or not acting in conspiracy with public officials, who, by act or omission, inserts or allows the insertion of data or false information, or who diverts from what ought to be contained in the Farmers' Social Protection Database, with the view of altering the fact, or aiding in the grant of the pension to persons other than the qualified farmers, shall be penalized with imprisonment of not less than one month but not more than one year, or a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P100,000 or both imprisonment and fine, at the discretion of the court.

HB No.7663 is anchored on Article II, Section 9 of the 1987 Constitution, which says that the State shal promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.

Serving as the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) president's co-authors to the bill are Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre.