Solon urges Duterte to approve P1,000 pension hike

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez urged President Rodrigo Duterte to approve the release of additional funds for the Social Security System (SSS) to enable a P1,000 increase in the monthly pension of retired members.

The solon recalled that then-SSS chairman Amado Valdez released the first half of the additional benefits in January 2017 and promised to pay the other half in 2022.

“But if we are able to get favorable (financial) results…maybe by 2019, we can already comply with the next P1,000,” Rodriguez said. 

 

“The additional P1,000 will be a big help to our pensioners, especially during this Covid-19 pandemic. Pensioners are appealing for its release, saying they would use it to buy medicines,” Rodriguez added.

 

He also said many senior members of the SSS and Government Service Insurance System were unable to avail of the government’s P200-billion social amelioration program as they were already receiving pension. 

 

“They have to be helped, especially SSS pensioners, many of whom get less than P5,000 a month... they need the P1,000 increase,” said Rodriguez

 

The lawmaker earlier endorsed to Duterte a letter from senior citizens from his home province of Cagayan de Oro. The letter reminded President Duterte that the P1,000 pension raise was promised in 2019, but was deferred as the SSS was still raising funds.