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₱500 universal pension for senior citizens pushed in House
Manila Bulletin
|November 15, 2025
Camarinea Sur 5th district Rep. Migz Villafuerte and 2nd district Rep. Luigi Villafuerte are eyeing by way of legislation a ₱500 universal monthly social pension for elderly Filipinos, including those who are considered indigent.
This proposal is embodied in House Bill (HB) No. 2048, which says that the monthly ₱500 stipend will be doubled to ₱1,000 in five years' time.
The Villafuertes say that an estimated four million indigent senior citizens who are already getting a monthly socpen of ₱1,000 under the Social Pension for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPISC) Program-as provided for by Republic Act (RA) No. 9994 and RA 11916-will continue to receive this higher pension of ₱1,000 even if HB No.2048 becomes a law.
The bill allows any senior citizen to waive this monthly stipend, and directs the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and of Budget and Management (DBM) to review this
This story is from the November 15, 2025 edition of Manila Bulletin.
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