Despite a big rally by the United Senior Citizens (USP) party-list led by its representative Milagros 'Mila' Aquino-Magsaysay in front of the Senate, their call for the immediate passage of the Universal Social Pension has apparently fallen on deaf ears as Senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios 'Imee' Marcos-Manotoc was non-committal in her statement regarding the proposed measure.

Some 5,000 senior citizens representing various groups of the country's elderly staged the rally, asking senators to approve the Senate's version of House Bill 10423, which was passed recently by the Lower House on third and final reading.

HB 20423 overwhelmingly gained the nod from majority of members of the House of Representatives to push for the passage of the measure granting a monthly stipend of ₱500 to all senior citizens (60 years old and above).

To date, the said bill has not been calendared in the Senate and without an approved Senate counterpart measure before Congress adjourns on February 07, 2025, the same will be sent back to the House of Representatives for re-filing.

As such, rallyists said all efforts for it to be institutionalized under law would be in vain.

"Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kami nagpunta rito sa Senado upang hilingin sa ating mahal na mga senador na ipasa na ito. Kung kinakailangan naming magmakaawa, lumuhod at umiyak, gagawin namin dahil para ito sa kapakanan ng ating nakakatandang mga kababayan," Aquino-Magsaysay asserted before meeting with the elder sister of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.

Speaking to the senior rallyists the party-list solon enthused that the rally is to voice out the concern of all the elderly as the bill has been pending for more than 8 months now following its transmittal to the Senate after approval by the Lower Chamber in May last year.

"Kailangan nang maisabatas ito at kung patuloy na mabibibinbin sa ating Senado, mababalewala ang ating pinaghirapan dahil babalik lang ang panukala sa ating Kamara kaya kakailanganing i-refile sa susunod na Kongreso," she pointed out.

HB 20423 specifically outlines a universal pension that will benefit all senior citizens in a time where there is dire need for governmental support for their daily food necessities and medical needs.

Saddened with the delay, the congresswoman cited: “Matagal na po natin itong ipinaglalaban sa Kongreso at finally po naaprubahan. Kami po ay nakikiusap at nagmamakaawa na sa ating mga Senador na ipasa na po ninyo ito alang-alang sa mga nakatatanda. Eight months na po ito at tila natutulog dito sa Senado," she reiterated.