By: Tamara Morrigan Catada

Senator Lito Lapid filed Senate Bill No. 1230, which seeks to establish a pension program for retired farmers, agricultural workers, and fisherfolk.

In his explanatory note, the senator cited a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which states that farmers and fishermen consistently ranked as two of the most impoverished societal sectors, even before the pandemic.   

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

"Mababa na ang kalidad ng pamumuhay ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Pinalala pa ito ng mga mahigpit na protokol sa kalusugan at mahahabang lockdown na lalong nagpahina sa kita ng kanilang kabuhayan (Our farmers and fisherfolk already have a low quality of life. It even got worse due to the strict implementation of health protocols and the extended lockdowns, which further diminished their earnings)," Lapid stressed.

The senator explained that initiating a pension program "will guarantee a better quality of life for indigent farmers and fishermen, stabilize rural society, and promote rural economic development."

Under the proposed measure, creating an Agricultural Pension Fund will provide a voluntary pension scheme to ensure that underprivileged farmers, agrarian reform beneficiaries, agricultural workers, and fisherfolk are protected in case of disability and cared for during 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 (We recognize the agricultural sector's contribution to job generation and national growth. The government must show concern, now more than ever, for our farmers and fishermen, who have long been neglected by our society)," Lapid said.