President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address speech failed to touch on the proposed Universal Pension Program for Senior Citizens that would benefit at least eight million of the estimated 12 million Filipino elderly.

Despite this observation made by leaders of various senior citizens groups, Senior Citizen Partylist Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes believes that SONA was a ‘miracle’ for the elderly.

“The SONA could be the miracle I was praying for to get those bills moving in the Senate,” said Ordanes, referring to five legislative measures that have been approved in the Lower House but are still pending in the Senate.

However, in his SONA speech, Marcos did not push for the passage of pending bills benefitting the elderly population.

“Halos dinoble na rin ang diskwento na ibinibigay sa mga PWDs, at sa mga senior citizens na tulad ninyo para sa mga basic necessities at prime commodities. Natuwa kayong lahat doon,” said Marcos in a one-liner referring to seniors and persons with disabilities.

Neither did the chief executive make a guarantee to fund the full implementation of two laws granting financial assistance to indigent senior citizens and those who have reached the ages of 80, 85, 90 and 95.

“Iyong amendment sa Centenarian Law na magbibigay ng P10,000 cash birthday gift para sa umabot sa edad 80, 85, 90 at 95 ay wala pang linaw hanggang ngayon. Matitikman pa kaya ang benepisyo gayong wala pa rin badyet para dito?” noted former Rep. Godofredo Arquiza, now president of the Tinig ng Seniors Partylist.

Arquiza also disclosed that at least 20 percent of indigent seniors who are qualified to receive P1,000 monthly pension from the government have been denied the cash assistance until now.

“Instead of implementing cash assistance programs not supported by specific laws passed by Congress, government must first finance the full implementation of those that have legal backing like the Social Pension Program,” said Arquiza, apparently referring to the Ayuda para sa Kapos ang Kita Program initiated by Congress.

The Federation of Senior Citizens Associations of the Philippines-Quezon City (FSCAP-QC) also expressed its disappointment over the the non-mention of the pending Universal Pension Program bill.

AKAP-QC president Jorge Banal said majority of the country’s elderly folk expected Marcos to declare his support for the measure that will extend P500 monthly cash assistance to at least eight million seniors not receiving Social Pension benefits from government.

“Still, we are hoping our senators will pass the bill that won strong support in the Lower House,” stated Banal.

Passed by the Lower House on May 21, the Universal Social Pension for Senior Citizens bill was authored by Reps. Mila Aquino-Magsaysay (United Senior Citizens Partylist); Marie Bernadette Escudero (Sorsogon) Irwin Tieng (Manila), Christopher De Venecia (Pangasinan) and Ordanes, among other Lower House members.