Senator Bong Go called on the national government to reallocate a portion of its flood control budget to settle the unpaid social pensions of qualified yet waitlisted indigent senior citizens across the country.
This suggestion came amid discovery of numerous anomalous, substandard, and ghost flood control projects that profited a few rather than benefiting the population.
Go underscored that thousands of elderly Filipinos who are already qualified under the law he earlier co-authored remain on a waitlist and have yet to receive their monthly pension.
The veteran legislator warned that the longer these delays persist, the more the government fails in its duty to the country’s most vulnerable.
“Ano ba naman ‘yung isang libo o karagdagang kabuuang P8 to P12 billion para maibigay ang nararapat sa kanila.”
“Ang dami pong lumalapit sa akin na mga seniors, nagtatanong bakit hindi pa nila natatanggap ang kanilang social pension,” the seasoned lawmaker said. “Bagama’t batas na po ito, ano ba naman ‘yung isang libo o karagdagang kabuuang P8 to P12 billion para maibigay ang nararapat sa kanila.”
The senator reminded that the monthly social pension for indigent seniors is a right guaranteed by Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. He also co-authored RA 11916, which increased the social pension of indigent senior citizens.
Go stressed that government resources should be prioritized for programs that directly uplift the poor and elderly.
“Matatanda na po ’yon, magamit man lang nila pambili ng pagkain at medisina.”
“Kaysa naman po masayang, ginagawang gatasan ng iilan sa flood control, baka puwede naman pong i-reallocate rito sa social pension. Matatanda na po ’yon, magamit man lang nila pambili ng pagkain at medisina,” he emphasized.
Go urged concerned agencies to clearly explain the situation to affected seniors and to find ways to release the funds since most qualified indigent seniors have been waitlisted for several years given the lack of funding to expand the number of beneficiaries.
“Kaya dapat po’y maipaintindi po ito sa kanila dahil kahit saan ako pumunta may lumalapit talaga na, ‘Ba’t hindi pa namin natatanggap yung aming social pension?’” he pointed out.
Go reaffirmed his support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) but reminded it of its mandate to protect the poor and vulnerable.
“Alam naman natin na mahalaga ang tungkulin ng DSWD dahil sila ang frontliners sa pagtulong sa ating mga kababayang nangangailangan. Ang pakiusap ko lang, gawan po ng paraan ito ng gobyerno na hindi po puro ayuda lang,” he said.
Go closed with a call for faster and more efficient delivery of public social services.
“’Wag na nating pahirapan ang ating mga kababayan. Unang-una, pera naman po ng taumbayan ’yan, dapat po’y ibalik sa kanila sa mabilis na paraan na naaayon sa batas,” he concluded.
