United Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Milagros Magsaysay (PNA photo by Ferdinand Patinio)
MANILA – Incumbent United Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Milagros Magsaysay has welcomed the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) move to allow early voting for members of the vulnerable sector, including the elderly, on Election Day.
“Para sa akin, maganda ito. Hindi na sila pipila, hindi na sila makikipagsiksikan para makaboto (For me, this is good. They don't have to queue. They won't have to endure crowds just to be able to vote," Magsaysay said in an interview after she filed her Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance (CONA) at The Manila Hotel Tent City on Wednesday.
The reelectionist lawmaker also pledged to continue fighting for the rights of the elderly.
“Patuloy na ipaglaban ang karapatan, privilege at benepisyo ng ating mga senior citizens (We will continue to push for the rights, privileges and benefits of our senior citizens),” she added.
Magsaysay also reported that the Universal Social Pension bill has been approved by the House of Representatives, with the help of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
“The bill is now in the Senate. Hopefully, it would be approved by the Senate and would be signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.," she said.
Latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the Philippines has 11.6 million senior citizens.
Another party-list group, Ang Kumadrona, has also filed its CONA for the May 2025 midterm polls.
Meanwhile, 70-year-old Victoriano Inte from Pasay City was the first senatorial bet to file his candidacy on the second day of the eight-day filing period.
Inte earlier ran for president in the May 2022 polls.
A total of 17 senatorial bets and 15 party-list groups have filed their candidacies on the first day of the filing period on Tuesday. (PNA)
