NCSC: Indigent senior citizens to receive P1,000 pension in January 2023

The chairman of the National Commission of Senior Citizens on Thursday said the increase in the monthly social pension of indigent senior citizens could be enforced early next year.

"Ang effectivity natin is 2023 kasi we are in the middle of the year, hindi naman puwedeng lumabas agad 'yung pera kung walang budget. Kung lalabas naman, dapat may budgetary process 'yan which Congress will have to approve," NCSC chief Franklin Quijano said at a public briefing.

(Our effectivity is in 2023 because we are in the middle of the year, this cannot be released immediately especially if we don't have budget yet. If it will be released, there should be a budgetary process which Congress will have to approve.)

The measure which aims to increase the monthly social pension of indigent senior citizens from P500 to P1,000 had lapsed into law.

"Nakikita natin na ang time where it would be effective would be January of 2023, hopefully, we're keeping our fingers crossed na maapprove ng ating legislative mill 'yung budget ng 2023," Quijano added.

(We can see that this would be effective in January 2023, hopefully our legislative mill could approve the budget for next year.)

Quijano said this development is significant as this would benefit around 4.1 million senior citizens across the country.

He said their office is already coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the implementation of the pension hike. Quijano added that the budget needed for this could amount to P50 billion.

"We are preparing and readiness is also defined in terms of the transition. Ang trabaho ngayon ay nasa DSWD pa lang and our memorandum of agreement says that 'yung readiness na 'yan ay may timeline," Quijano said.

(The work right now is in the hands of the DSWD and our memorandum of agreement says that the readiness also has a timeline.)

"Malaking budget ito, it's going to be P50 billion, from P500 to P1,000, it's going to be P50 billion from the original P25 billion. Tayo po ay nakipag-ugnayan with DSWD and we hope mapadali natin ito," he added.

(This is a huge budget, it's going to be P50 billion. We are coordinating with the DSWD and we hope we can implement this immediately.)—AOL, GMA News