Senator Chiz Escudero called for a broader definition of indigency to grant more Filipinos access to government services, saying current standards are too narrow and fail to capture the realities faced by many households.
In his podcast “Chiz Wiz! Usapang May Laman” aired over the weekend, Escudero noted that indigency is often equated with membership in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, leaving out families who may not be income‑poor but are unable to absorb medical or litigation costs.
The veteran legislator pointed out that under current laws, “indigency” lacks a uniform definition, varying across the different government agencies that define it.
Barangays issue certificates of indigency in accordance with the Local Government Code, the Public Attorney’s Office aligns its threshold with the Philippine Statistics Authority metrics, while the 4Ps law relies on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s targeting system to identify poor households.
“Indigency, therefore, should also be defined by circumstance, and not just income.”
“Indigency, therefore, should also be defined by circumstance, and not just income,” the seasoned lawmaker said.
To illustrate his point, the senator said families burdened by serious illnesses such as leukemia may be considered “cancer‑indigent,” while those unable to shoulder litigation costs could be classified as “litigation‑indigent” to reflect real situations. Even professionals, like teachers, who may earn above the minimum wage still fall into these categories when faced with extraordinary expenses.
This restrictive framework, he said, excludes households who may exceed income thresholds but are incapable of absorbing litigation costs or medical bills.
“Ano ba talaga ibig sabihin ng indigency? Meaning 4Ps ka ba? Ang problema kasi sa batas natin iisa lang ibig sabihin ng indigency. Pero para sa akin iba’t iba ang level ng indigency,” Escudero said.
“Magpa-file ka ng nullity of marriage, hindi naman ganun kadaling pulutin ‘yung P200,000 to P500,000 na panggastos diyan, di ba? So, litigation-indigent ka.”
“Kamukha rin nito magpa-file ka ng nullity of marriage, hindi naman ganun kadaling pulutin ‘yung P200,000 to P500,000 na panggastos diyan, di ba? So, litigation-indigent ka. ‘Pag may nagkasakit sa pamilya mo, tulad ng cancer, cancer‑indigent ‘yung pamilya mo,” he explained.
Escudero said the present one-size-fits-all requirement should be revisited to recognize different classifications of indigency—a position supported by his podcast guest, litigation lawyer Maggie Garduque, who said that such classifications are possible under the Constitution’s equal protection clause.
