Long overdue! Rodriguez calls for release of P1,000 pension increase for SSS retirees

By JOHN CARLO M. CAHINHINAN

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has urged President Rodrigo Duterte to hasten the release of the much-delayed P1,000 increase in the monthly pension of retired members of the Social Security System (SSS).

Rodriguez made the appeal after scores of senior citizen-retirees in Cagayan de Oro City sought his intervention in having their pension increase paid, noting that they “are much more affected by the coronavirus disease pandemic than the young.”

“They are more vulnerable to infection. Most of them have maintenance medicines that they buy with their small monthly pension,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez said senior citizens are not covered by the government’s P200-billion social amelioration program—which excludes retirees of both the SSS and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) who are receiving pension.

“They have to be helped, especially SSS pensioners who are getting less than P16,000 a month. They need the additional P1,000 increase,” said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez endorsed to Malacañang a letter-appeal to President Duterte from his senior citizen-constituents in Cagayan de Oro.

In their letter, the retirees said the P1,000 is the second installment of the P2,000 pension increase the SSS granted its pensioners in 2017.

The lawmaker said it was promised to be paid last year but payment was deferred for this year because the SSS was still raising funds

“Until now, we have not received it yet, and we need it badly for our medicines…We are humbly appealing to Your Excellency to help us with our predicament,” the letter read.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)