Rep Salceda urges Senate to pass PHP1K monthly pension for seniors

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda urged the Senate on Monday to approve a bill granting PHP1,000 monthly pensions to all Filipino senior citizens during a meeting with Senator Imee Marcos.

Salceda assured lawmakers that the Universal Social Pension program is fiscally sustainable and proposed funding it through adjustments in the ayuda budget and tax increases on pickup trucks, vape products, and mining operations.

The incremental cost of the program would be PHP28.8 billion in the first year for 2.4 million new recipients; increasing to PHP68.9 billion by the third year for a total of 5.74 million beneficiaries.

Salceda emphasized that social pension is not a handout but something earned by seniors' contributions to the economy over their lifetimes and highlighted the moral obligation of the state towards senior citizens.