Leading senior citizens organizations slammed Sen. Imee Marcos for allegedly insisting that government is not financially capable of funding the Universal Social Pension Program being sought by the country’s nearly 13 million elderly folk.

In a press conference last Monday (January 27), heads of six of the country’s largest senior citizens groups said Marcos’ claim directly contradicts the view of the Department of Budget and Management that government dcan finance the PHP500 monthly pension to be distributed to senior citizens excluded in the Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens.

“DBM representatives have assured our congressmen that there are enough funds to implement the USP. This was the reason why the Lower House unanimously approved House 10423,” stressed Salvacion Baciano of the National Anti-Poverty Commission -Senior Citizens Sectoral Council.

Marcos, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, has not yet conducted a single hearing for the consideration of bills propviding for a USP for all senior citizens.

This despite the unanimous approval of HB 10423 in the Lower House on May 21, 2024.

Former Quezon City Councilor Jorge Banal, president of the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations of the Philippines-NCR, reminded Marcos that it is her duty to present the bills for committee deliberation.

“Sen. Marcos does not have to act positively on the measure. We just want her to allow the bill to be processed and debated on by her fellow senators,” he explained.

Floro Francisco of the Seniors for Seniors Associations, Inc. (S4SAI) stated: “She (Marcos) kept on insisting, “we have no budget”, even though sources of funds have been identified by the House for allocation to this specific purpose,”

“Senator Imee Marcos, seems unmmoved by the pleading and outcry of the 12 million senior citiens in the country who would be happy to re-elect her back to the Senate in the next election,”Francisco said.

Meanwhile, Aksyon sa Pension Koalisyon (AKAP) defended the USP advocacy against claims that its implementation would only be an additional financial burden to the government.

“AKAP believes that a USP is an affordable and feasible investment htat is beneficial for the socio-economic development of the country,” the coalition stated.

“Providing for a USP will empower senior citizens to further contribute to the nation’s economic development,”AKAP stressed in a statement.

AKAP membership includes FSCAP-NCR; S4SAI; Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE); Confederation of Older Persons Associations of the Philippines (COPAP); SCC-NAPC; National Senior Citizens Affairs;
Center for Empowerment and Development of the Elderly and Seniors (CEDES) and several other groups.