Politics · Philippines Bureau
Senator Ejercito pushes bill to double elderly pension to P2,000 monthly
A Philippine senator has filed legislation to increase the monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens from P1,000 to P2,000, aiming to ease financial hardship for vulnerable elderly Filipinos facing mounting living expenses.
LSN Philippines ·
Senator JV Ejercito has filed Senate Bill No. 2522, which seeks to amend the existing social pension law for impoverished senior citizens. The proposed measure would double the monthly stipend currently provided under Republic Act No. 11916, raising the benefit from P1,000 to P2,000.
The proposed increase targets elderly Filipinos struggling with basic expenses as inflation continues to erode purchasing power across the country. Ejercito's bill addresses the growing gap between current pension amounts and the actual cost of living for seniors without sufficient means of support.
The measure aims to provide greater financial relief to one of the country's most vulnerable population segments. Senior citizens receiving the social pension have seen their fixed monthly allowance lose value against rising prices for food, medicine, and other essential goods.
The bill now awaits committee deliberation and subsequent congressional action. If passed, the increase would represent a significant boost to the social safety net for indigent elderly Filipinos.