Senator Lito Lapid is pushing a proposed legislation that seeks to provide a pension program to retired farmers, agricultural workers, and fishermen whose livelihoods have been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Bill No. 1230 filed recently by Lapid aims for the establishment of a pension program and social security scheme for indigent farmers and fisherfolk to ensure a better quality of life upon retirement.

“Dahil kinikilala natin ang kontribusyon ng sektor ng agrikultura sa pagbibigay ng nakabubuhay na trabaho at di matatawarang ambag sa pambansang kaunlaran, ngayon, higit kailanman, na dapat ipakita ng pamahalaan ang kanyang pagmamalasakit sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda na sa matagal na panahon ay nakalimutang kalingain ng ating lipunan,” Lapid’s explanatory note read.

According to Lapid, enacting SB 1230 into law will ensure that the country’s underprivileged farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, agricultural workers and fisherfolks are protected in case of disability and cared for during retirement.

SB 1230 seeks to establish an Agricultural Pension Fund which shall provide a voluntary pension scheme for the country’s agricultural sector.

The senator cited a recent report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), in which both farmers and fishermen consistently ranked as two of the most impoverished sectors in society, even before the pandemic.

In 2018, farmers and fisherfolk registered the highest poverty incidence rates among the basic sectors at 31.6 and 26.2 percent, respectively.

In filing SB 1230, Lapid stressed that although the country’s agricultural output is in a decline, it remains to play a significant role in the Philippine economy.

“Sa pamamagitan ng panukalang ito, hangad ko na mabigyan sila ng sapat na pensyon sa panahong nais na nilang magreretiro at mapagpahinga mula sa trabaho,” he added.



Lapid seeks social pension for farmers, fisherfolk
Source: Philippines Clips