The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Palawan approved a resolution urging Congress to expedite the passage of a Universal Social Pension (USP) for senior citizens during its regular session this week.
The resolution was presented on Tuesday by Board Member Ryan Maminta, who said it seeks to grant a monthly pension to all senior citizens once they reach the age of 60, regardless of income or social status.
He said the measure had already advanced in the previous Congress but failed to become law.
The measure is addressed to the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives, urging both chambers to expeditiously pass a universal social pension for all senior citizens, Maminta said.
“Para magkaroon na sila ng pension regardless of status sa buhay basta umabot sa 60 ay sa tingin ko po pribilehiyo na yon, at tumutungo na sa karapatan ng mga senior citizen,” he said.
“Sana bago matapos ang 2026 meron ng universal social pension,” he added.
He said the proposal had already reached third reading in both houses during the last Congress but failed to advance after it did not reach the bicameral conference committee.
At present, only indigent senior citizens receive a monthly government pension under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens Program, which is mandated by the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. Several bills pending in Congress seek to expand this benefit into a universal pension that would cover all elderly Filipinos, citing rising living costs and the need for broader social protection for older persons.
Maminta said senior citizens have long waited for the passage of a universal pension measure and expressed hope that Congress would act on it within the year.
The resolution, which includes all members of the provincial board as co-authors, was approved on first and final reading without objection.
