The universal social pension bill has passed through the House Appropriations Committee and is now headed to the Committee on Rules for inclusion in the plenary agenda for second reading.
Senior Citizens Partylist Representative Rodolfo Ordanes thanked AKO BICOL Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, chair of the House Appropriations Committee for his support and Speaker Martin Romualdez "for continuing to believe in the merits of the bill."
"We have been pushing for universal social pension as a matter of right of all seniors, not just the indigents," he said in a press statement.
"I believe the universal social pension will be crucial to keeping the near-poor and lower middle income seniors from slipping into poverty," the solon added.
The bill that was approved by the Appropriations Committee grants a monthly stipend of P500 to senior citizens not previously considered indigents and after five years all senior citizens will enjoy a social pension monthly of P1,000.
"I remain hopeful the universal social pension bill will be passed on third and final reading before the House adjourns sine die later this month," Ordanes said.
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