A senior citizens’ partylist is advocating for the passage of the Universal Social Pension, a proposed law that would provide all elderly Filipinos with a monthly pension of PHP 1,000, regardless of their economic status.
Congresswoman Mila Magsaysay of the United Senior Citizens Partylist emphasized the need to expand financial assistance to all seniors, saying the measure is currently under deliberation in the Senate.
Under the existing Expanded Senior Citizens Act (RA 7432), only indigent seniors receive PHP 1,000 per month, while non-indigent seniors get PHP 500.
The United Senior Citizens Partylist, which was in Cebu for its Visayas campaign, is also pushing for stronger protections for seniors, including laws against elder abuse and a mandate for local governments to establish geriatric centers.
Magsaysay, accompanied by partylist nominees Ted de Leon and Katrina Nepumuceno, also met with senior citizen federations in Bohol and Cebu to discuss issues such as the non-implementation of senior citizen discounts.
She urged businesses to comply with the law and advised affected seniors to report violations to the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).
The United Senior Citizens Partylist is among 55 partylist groups elected in 2022.
CebuLifestyleChannel.ph