VICE President Jejomar Binay said Sunday he wants to include senior citizens aged 60 to 64 in the Conditional Cash Transfer program because only those aged 65 and above are included in it.
“Yung mga katulad kong senior citizens, alam n’yo ba na from age 60 to 64 hindi po kasama?” Binay said in a radio interview in Bohol.
“Sixty ang simula ng senior citizen. Bakit po sila nap’wera roon?”
Binay stressed the need for additional benefits for senior citizens because the value of their pensions deteriorates over time due to inflation.
“Until such time na nakukuha na nila ang pension nila, ang value ng peso pababa nang pababa. Once they retire or after 10 to 15 years wala na ‘yon dahil mababa na ang value ng piso,” Binay said.
“Isa hong dahilan ‘yan kung bakit ko naisip na bigyan ng traditional benefits ang mga senior citizens namin sa Makati.”
Binay also reiterated the need to introduce reforms to the dole program after the Commission on Audit found faults in it.
“Mayroon lang po tayong dapat i-correct talaga rito. Dahil continuously, while laging sinasabi ni Secretary Dinky na na-liquidate niya, lagi pa rin pong lumalabas ‘yong unliquidated portion,” Binay said.
“Ang dami pong naipasok diyan sa 4Ps na hindi qualified, mga kapartido, mga kamag-anak, etcetera.”
Binay was in Bohol to meet with sectoral groups, local leaders and residents of the towns of Clarin, Inabanga, Danao, Sierra Bullones and Carmen.