Should he earn a Senate seat in May, independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson will look into the alleged discrimination experienced by senior citizens regarding pension payments.
Lacson said he is mulling revisiting the relevant laws to see if there is a legislative solution to this, after he learned of one such instance during a Konsultahang Bayan forum in Cebu last week.
“During the forum, a seaman said his parents were denied pension supposedly because he is a seaman and that he earns a lot. That’s the wrong approach,” he said. “We’ll look into that by way of legislation, so we can come up with an institutionalized solution.”
Related: Ping Lacson, Iimbestigahan ang ‘Diskriminasyon’ sa Pension ng Mga Senior Citizens
Lacson stressed he will look into the plight not just of parents of seafarers, but all senior citizens who are similarly treated by the existing law on pensions given to them.
“Assuming that all gainfully employed children of senior citizens support their parents is the height of naïveté,” he said.
Last Monday, Lacson cited the big contribution of Filipino seafarers to our economy, remitting some $6.94 billion in 2024 alone.
Yet he lamented the cost of their education and training has been prohibitive, such that only those from wealthy families can afford it.
In some cases, he said parents are using their savings and retirement funds for their children to take maritime courses.
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Ping Lacson, Iimbestigahan ang ‘Diskriminasyon’ sa Pension ng Mga Senior Citizens
Kung makabalik siya sa Senado sa Mayo, balak imbestigahan ni independent senatorial candidate Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson ang diumanong diskriminasyon laban sa mga senior citizens pagdating sa pagbayad ng kanilang pension.
Nais tingnan ni Lacson kung may kailangan bang amyendahan na batas para matugunan ito, matapos makarating sa kanya ang ganitong impormasyon sa isang Konsultahang Bayan forum sa Cebu nitong nakaraang Lunes.
“Sabi ng isang nag-comment (sa forum) na dahil seaman siya, alam niyang may pera ang seaman, di nabibigyan ng pension ang magulang. That’s the wrong approach,” aniya. “We’ll look into that by way of legislation para ma-institutionalize.”
Giit ni Lacson, iimbestigahan niya ang sitwasyon hindi lang ng mga magulang ng marino, kundi lahat na senior citizens na nakaranas ng ganitong pagtrato sa kasalukuyang batas sa pension.
“Assuming that all gainfully employed children of senior citizens support their parents is the height of naïveté,” aniya.
Noong Lunes, pinuri ni Lacson ang ating mga marino dahil sa kanilang ambag sa ekonomiya. Noong 2024, naka-remit sila ng $6.94 bilyon.
Sa kabila nito, ikinalungkot niya ang mahal na edukasyon at pagsasanay para sa mga marino, kung saan makakayanan lang ito ng mga galing sa pamilyang maykaya.
Dahil dito, may ilang magulang na gamit ang kanilang inipon at mga retirement funds para makakuha ng maritime courses ang kanilang anak.
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