HOUSE Committee on Higher and Technical Education Chair Jude Acidre of TINGOG Party-list is advocating for the passage of House Bill (HB) No. 7663, which aims to provide regular pension and insurance coverage to elderly, disabled, and indigent farmers who are not currently covered by existing retirement systems like the SSS and GSIS.
Acidre emphasized that farmers, who dedicate their lives to feeding the nation, should not be left without support in their old age.
Acidre, a principal author of the bill, stressed that the proposal seeks to ensure that farmers outside the Social Security System (SSS) and Government Service and Insurance System (GSIS) safety nets receive direct government assistance and are prioritized in social welfare programming. The bill, filed by Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, proposes a P3,000 monthly pension and insurance benefits for qualified beneficiaries.
“Filipino farmers remain among the poorest and most vulnerable sectors in the country despite being at the forefront of food production. Many elderly farmers have no access to pension systems such as SSS or GSIS and face increasing healthcare and subsistence needs in their senior years,” Acidre stated. He added that the proposed measure aims to correct this long-standing gap by institutionalizing a dedicated social protection system for qualified farmers.
Under the proposed bill, eligible farmers must be 60 years old and above and not receiving any pension from SSS, GSIS, or private retirement systems. The bill also covers farmers with mental, medical, or physical impairments that render them unable to continue farming.
In addition to the monthly pension, the proposal includes a basic life insurance coverage of ₱50,000 and accident and disability assistance of up to ₱25,000 per claim. Acidre emphasized that the measure is designed to build a stable social system for farmers, rather than providing temporary assistance.
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