Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured on Wednesday (August 21) his full support to the enactment of House Bill No. 10423 or the Universal Social Pension Bill during the deliberation of the agency’s 2025 proposed budget.

“One, it’s  fair. We are fully supportive of it and it will certainly make our lives so much simpler. We are fully supportive and we understand that concept to make more people productive in a sense,” Secretary Gatchalian said when asked by Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo on the DSWD’s stand on the bill.

The House Bill No. 10423 or the Universal Social Pension Bill seeks to make the government’s free social pension available to all senior citizens.

Rep. Quimbo cited that senior citizens often provide childcare to younger members of the family and give way for the productivity of other household-members in exchange.

The DSWD chief agreed with Rep. Quimbo’s point that amending the exclusivity of social pension to indigent beneficiaries is likely to encourage a competitive working force.

“It’s a whole cycle of going back to the economy anyway. We agree with it, madam chair. If we put it this way, it’s an investment towards making our people more productive, our able-bodied or younger set of people be productive part of the workforce,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.

The DSWD chief earlier responded to United Senior Citizens Partylist Rep. Milagros Magsaysay about the cases of late pension payouts, citing liquidation problems of partner-local government units(LGUs) as a common cause of delay.

Secretary Gatchalian said the agency is considering adapting the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program’s (4Ps) grant disbursement system where the grants are credited directly to the transacting beneficiaries.

This option, however, remains under careful study in consideration of the preference, convenience and concerns of senior citizens commonly attributed to physical restrictions, unfamiliarity and hesitance with banking transactions, according the DSWD chief.

“It’s something in the horizon but we are studying it carefully kung makakabuti sa ating mga seniors or makakasama. Kasi in my particular case, I have done so many chats sa mga senior sa Valenzuela, they always tell me ‘iba kasi ang cash, kami ang may kontrol. Pag may atm kasi minsan di namin makita yung machine,” Secretary Gatchalian said.#