黑料社

MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Hundreds of senior citizens gathered in front of the Senate building on Monday to urge the passage of a bill that seeks to grant a monthly pension of P500 to all elderly Filipinos, not just indigent seniors.

The protest was led by United Senior Citizens (USC) Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay, who personally attended to call on the Senate to pass Senate Bill No. 141 or the Act Granting Universal Social Pension to All Senior Citizens.

鈥淚 hope our dear senators approve the Universal Social Pension, as it has been in the Senate for eight months. I also hope there is still time, as the 19th Congress will end on Feb. 8,鈥� said Magsaysay in Filipino during a chance interview.

鈥淪o please, we still have time to approve it if you truly care about the elderly,鈥� she added.

Magsaysay pointed out that the House of Representatives has already passed House Bill No. 10423 on the third and final reading, which is the Senate鈥檚 counterpart bill.

Once passed by the Senate and enacted into law, the rest of the non-indigent senior citizens in the country will receive a pension of P500 every month, according to Magsaysay.

鈥淎ll elderly people should receive a pension, no more selection or lists鈥攅veryone, whether rich or poor, whether they already have a pension or not, will receive a monthly pension once this becomes law,鈥� she said.

The lawmaker also explained that the bill includes a provision to increase the pension by P1,000 each year, meaning non-indigent seniors will receive the same amount as indigent seniors within five years.

Magsaysay also said she is set to meet with Senate President Francis Escudero to discuss the measure.

She then said she plans to contact President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to seek assistance regarding the bill鈥檚 passage.

READ: DSWD: Indigent seniors鈥� monthly pension up form P500 to P1,000