House adopts Senate bill doubling monthly pension of indigent seniors

The House of Representatives has adopted the Senate version of the measure doubling the monthly social pension of indigent senior citizens from P500 to P1,000.

Senate Bill 2506 was adopted as an amendment to House Bill 9459 during Tuesday's plenary session.

Voting 18-0-0, the senators on Monday approved the proposed Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens and Appropriating Funds Therefor.

Aside from the increase in the monthly pension, the proposed legislation also provides options other than cash payout for the pension to reach the target beneficiary. The transaction fee, if any, shall not be charged to the beneficiary.

The said bill further transfers the implementation, distribution, and management of the social pension for senior citizens from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) within a period not exceeding three years. — BM, GMA News