The chairman of the House Committee on Senior Citizen on Wednesday urged the national government to widen indigency limits and parameters in the availment of charity social services.
Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes of Senior Citizen partylist made an appeal to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Health (DOH) to change expand qualifications amid the increasing prices of basic commodities.
“I address this appeal to PCSO, Pagcor, DSWD, DILG, and DOH. Most indigency standards and qualifications can be revised upward administratively, no need for new laws,” he said.
“More inclusive indigency standards and qualifications can be implemented faster because only administrative changes are needed,” Ordanes added.
Currently, the lawmaker said the indigency limits and parameters for availing of government charity social services are too low.
“The new minimum for indigency qualification should be either the minimum wage rates or the nontaxable income rate,” he said.
With prices of most goods and services being so high now, he said the purchasing power of minimum wage earners is severely eroded.
“They do not have disposable income left for the daily cost of sending their kids to school, for going to and coming from work everyday, and for the needs of household members who are sick, senior, PWD, or with special needs,” added the lawmaker.
Republic Act 10606 or an act amending the Republic Act 7875 or the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 as amended, defines indigent as a person who has no visible means of income, or whose income is insufficient for the subsistence of his family.