The Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 8) approved the proposed Universal Social Pension Program that would grant a PHP 500 monthly pension to all senior citizens excluded from the existing Senior Citizens Pension Program.

United Senior Citizens Partylist Rep. Mila Aquino-Magsaysay, a principal author of the bill, said at least seven million elderly Filipinos will receive the PHP500 pension regardless of their stature in life as soon as the legislative proposal becomes a law.

“We do not expect any hitches for the passage of the bill here in the Lower House. However, it would be best for us here to pursue a swift approval and have it transmitted to the Senate for its action,” said Aquino-Magsaysay.

The appropriations panel approved the budgetary provision of the consolidated bill which would require government to allocate some PHP89 billion annually for its implementation.

Aquino-Magsaysay said the 4,085,000 indigent senior citizens already enrolled in the Social Pension Program will not benefit from the USPP but will continue to receive the PHP1,000 in monthly pension from the government.

Originally, the USPP bill authored by Aquino-Magsaysay and at least 15 other House members provided for a PHP1,000 monthly pension for all senior citizens in the country.

However, during an appropriations panel hearing on March 13, lawmakers decided to reduce the proposed amount to PHP500 as concerns over budgetary difficulties were raised by the Department of Budget and Management.

“We agreed to a PHP500 pension at the moment but I still believe government can afford PHP1,000 at a later time. What matters now is that all senior citizens in the country will get financial assistance for their basic necessities, particularly for their medicines,” Aquino-Magsaysay explained.

The lady solon lauded Speaker Martin Romualdez and the appropriations panel for supporting the measure.

She aired hopes that the consolidated bill will be reported out in the plenary and approved on second reading before session is temporarily adjourned for the summer season on May 22.

Aside from Magsaysay, other principal authors of the bill are Reps. LRay Villafuerte (2nd District, Camarines Sur); Miguel Luis Villafuerte (5th District, Camarines Sur); Marie Bernadette Escudero (1st District, Sorsogon); Irwin Tieng (5th District, Manila); Christopher VP De Venecia (4th District, Pangasinan); Rodolfo Ordanes (Senior Citizens Partylist); Stella Luz Quimbo (2nd District, Marikina City) and Ruwel Peter Gonzaga (2nd District, Davao de Oro).