Legarda bats for P1K medication stipend for senior citizens

Senator Loren Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 164, or An Act Providing Monthly Maintenance Medication Support for Senior Citizens, seeking to provide eligible senior citizens with P1,000 monthly to help in the purchase of maintenance medications.

“We are alleviating the burden of our senior citizens by helping them manage these debilitating diseases as they get older,” the lawmaker explained.

“This is to fulfill the government’s mandate to ensure that senior citizens have access to affordable healthcare, including the medications necessary for maintaining their health and well-being,” she added.

Legarda, the principal author of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, said that discounts in the purchase of medicines might not be enough for many senior citizens.

Under the proposed law, a monthly maintenance medication support card will be issued to beneficiaries, which cannot be transferable or convertible to cash.

Senior citizens with a valid prescription issued within the last six months will be eligible to receive the stipend.

Fraud and abuse of the program will be penalized under existing laws.

“This is to pay homage to those who have toiled and paved the road for all of us; this is a small token of recognition,” remarked Legarda.

“We are here to affirm the State’s promise to take care of our senior citizens, helping make sure no one is left behind.” (30)

Legarda, itintutulak ang P1K ayuda pambili ng gamot para sa mga senior citizen

Upang makatulong sa pagbili ng pang-maintenance na gamot, inihain ni Senador Loren Legarda ang Senate Bill No. 164, o An Act Providing Monthly Maintenance Medication Support for Senior Citizens, na naglalayong bigyan ang mga senior citizen ng P1,000 na pambili ng gamot kada buwan.

“Tulong natin ito sa mga senior citizen na may iniindang mga sakit habang sila ay tumatanda,” paliwanag ng mambabatas.

“Ito ay pagpapatupad ng ating mandato na tiyaking sila ay maggkakaroon ng access sa murang pagpapagamot para manatiling mabuti ang kanilang kalusugan,” dagdag niya.

Ayon kay Legarda, na siyang pangunahing may-akda ng Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, hindi sapat ang discount para sa ilang senior citizen.

Sa ilalim ng panukalang batas, bibigyan ng maintenance medication support card ang kada senior citizen, na hindi puwedeng ipasa sa iba o ipalit sa pera.

Magkakaroon lamang ng card ang mga senior citizen kung ang kanilang reseta ay naibigay sa nakaraang anim na buwan.

Ang pandaraya ay lalapatan ng kaukulang parusa na naaayon sa batas.

“Ito ay pagbibigay-pugay sa mga nauna sa atin, sa naglatag ng daan upang tayo ay umunlad,” ayon kay Legarda.

“Nandito tayo upang bigyang-katuparan ang pangako ng Estado na pangalagaan ang mga senior citizen, at tinitiyak nating walang maiiwan sa kanila.” (30)