Senator Bong Go delivered a strong statement during the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare, and Rural Development public hearing recently.
Go emphasized that ensuring government support for the most vulnerable is both a legal mandate and a moral duty, declaring that it is painful to see elderly Filipinos still forced to work just to survive.
The veteran legislator zeroed in on the issue of senior citizens who remain on the waitlist despite the passage of Republic Act No. 11916 he co-authored, which increased the monthly social pension for indigent seniors from P500 to P1,000.
The seasoned lawmaker stressed that at least one million senior citizens are still waiting for the pension they are legally entitled to.
“Bawat piso, bawat sentimo napakahalaga po sa mga senior citizens.”
“Ako po’y patuloy na nananawagan sa lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno even dito sa Senado, sa Kongreso. Magtulungan po tayo, bawat piso, bawat sentimo napakahalaga po sa mga senior citizens,” the senator emphasized.
To illustrate the urgency, he recounted a personal encounter with an elderly vendor struggling to support her family.
“Kahapon lang po mayroon akong nakasalubong na isang matanda, 68 years old, nagtitinda ng turon, para may pangtustos sa kanyang pamilya. Dapat sa ganung edad, hindi na po nagtitinda ‘yung lola. Dapat po’y meron siyang matatanggap sa gobyerno, pambili ng gamot, pambili ng pamasahe, ang sakit sa dibdib na makita na kailangan pa niyang magtrabaho para lang po may maitustos sa pamilya,” Go recalled.
He then appealed to prioritize the provision of the social pension for qualified indigent seniors still waitlisted. Go reminded the committee that supporting the indigent elderly was also one of the advocacies of its Chairperson when he served as DSWD Secretary, referring to Senator Erwin Tulfo.
“Habang hindi pa nabibigay itong social pension, ‘yung mga kulang, sana po ay bigyan ito ng prayoridad. Nakikiusap ako muli sa ating butihing Chairperson, matulungan po itong social pension. ‘Yan naman po ang isa sa mga naging layunin mo noong naging Secretary ka ng DSWD na huwag pabayaan ang mga social pension ng mga senior citizens. I am one with this committee, Mr. Chair,” he stressed.
Go reminded that as many as one million seniors remain unpaid despite being covered by law, calling it painful to see how their rights continue to be neglected.
“Ito pong social pension para sa mga senior citizens na meron pa pong isang milyong senior citizens ang hindi nababayaran. Ulitin ko, ang sakit po makita na pinagsasamantalahan, ginagawang gatasan at ginagawang bastusan po ang pondo ng flood control projects para gawing gatasan ang ilan po,” he continued.
Separately, in a Facebook post over the weekend, Go reinforced his position with sharper criticism of systemic corruption in public funds allocation while indigent seniors await what is due to them by law. He lamented how resources meant for the people are diverted by unscrupulous actors, singling out flood control projects as a source of misuse.
“Sumisikip po ang aking dibdib tuwing nakakakita po ako ng mga kababayan natin na naghihirap po habang pinagsasamantalahan po ng iilan. Ginagawang gatasan po ng iilan ang pondo po ng taumbayan,” he said.
Go argued that these acts of misuse must end, urging that the government to prioritize funds to address the most urgent needs of vulnerable citizens, especially the elderly.
“Kaya dapat po unahin po ‘yung mga mahirap, unahin natin ang mga senior citizens po. I-allocate po sana ‘yung pondo ng flood control para unahin po ‘yung mga kababayan natin na senior citizens. Batas po ito, dapat po matanggap nila ang nararapat po sa kanila,” he declared.
Building on this point, Go insisted that senior citizens must no longer be left to fend for themselves at an age when they should already be supported by the state.
“Ang ilan sa kanilang mga senior citizens kailangan pa maghanapbuhay sa kanilang edad. Dapat po tulungan sila ng gobyerno.”
“Dapat po’y unahin ang tulong sa mga kababayan nating mahihirap. Unahin po ang tulong sa mga senior citizens. Nakikita po natin ang ilan sa kanilang mga senior citizens kailangan pa maghanapbuhay sa kanilang edad. Dapat po tulungan sila ng gobyerno,” he said.
“Mga kababayan ko, magtulungan po tayo para matapos po itong systemic corruption sa gobyerno,” Go added.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Go affirmed his support for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which he worked closely with during former President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.
“I’m here to support our Chairperson, matagal po kaming magkasama po noon lalung lalo na dito, since dati rin po siyang Secretary ng DSWD at ako naman po ay parati kong nakakasama ang DSWD noong panahon ni former President Duterte lalo na sa pagtulong sa mga nasalanta,” he began.
Go then recounted how his work in partnership with DSWD had taken him to virtually every corner of the Philippines, from northern Luzon down to southernmost Mindanao. He underscored how deeply he had witnessed the agency’s role in delivering aid and social services to the poor.
“Ako, kahit saang sulok ng Pilipinas, kung napuntahan na ng DSWD ‘yan, ako po ay nakapunta na rin po… from Batanes, Aparri, Sta. Ana, dulo po ng Cagayan hanggang Jolo (Sulu) napuntahan ko na po ‘yan at napakalaki po ng ginagampanan ng DSWD, itong social services, itong ayuda, sana po ay masunod itong ‘Bawat buhay mahalaga sa DSWD,’” he emphasized citing DSWD’s slogan.
Building on this, Go stressed that the government must always put the poorest Filipinos first. He reminded the committee that public funds must be used to benefit the people as efficiently and directly as possible.
“Ako po’y naniniwala na dapat unahin talaga ang pinakamahihirap nating kababayan na walang ibang inaasahan kundi ‘yung gobyerno. Pera po ng taumbayan ‘yan, ibalik po sa kanila sa mabilis na paraan. I’m one with our Chair dito sa kanyang layunin, importante dito walang pinipili,” he added.
To further institutionalize support for the elderly, Go filed Senate Bill No. 411, which seeks to establish a national senior citizens hospital if passed.
“This only proves our commitment to bringing welfare services closer to our senior citizens. ‘Wag po nating pabayaan ang ating mga lolo’t lola,” he reiterated.
Go assured the committee of his continued support, highlighting his role as Vice Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development.
