Senator Risa Hontiveros is calling for a universal monthly social pension of P1,500 for all Filipino senior citizens to ease the burden of daily expenses, especially on food, utilities, and maintenance medicines.
The proposal was raised during the Senate Committee on Social Justice and Rural Development’s first hearing on Senate Bill 215, or the Lingap Para Kay Lolo at Lola Act, which seeks to amend the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.
Hontiveros stressed the urgency of the measure, pointing out that many elderly Filipinos are forced to choose between buying food and paying for their medicines. “The needs of our grandparents increase as they grow older, especially when it comes to their health. But many of them can no longer afford to buy their medicines. That’s why sometimes they choose to spend on food, water, or electricity instead of medicines,” she said in Filipino.
Citing Philippine Statistics Authority data, the senator said there are around 11 million senior citizens in the country, most of whom require maintenance medicine for various illnesses. She added, “Whenever it’s our grandparents’ birthday, we always wish them good health and a long life. But how can we help prolong their lives if they don’t have the means to buy their medicines?”
At present, the Department of Social Welfare and Development grants only P1,000 monthly pension under its indigent program. The amount was raised in January 2024 from the previous P500 following the passage of Republic Act 1196 in 2022.
Hontiveros underscored that caring for the elderly is not only a matter of compassion but also a constitutional duty. “To our grandparents—you were the first to build the Filipino family, and you are the reason we have reached where we are today,” she said.
If approved, the bill would expand the coverage and increase the pension, ensuring that all senior citizens—not just the indigent—receive support.
