Senator Escudero pushes for broader definition of indigency to widen access to gov’t aid

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero is pushing to expand the definition of indigency in the Philippines, arguing that current rigid standards leave out millions of Filipinos who struggle with unexpected financial shocks.

Speaking on his podcast “Chiz Wiz! Usapang May Laman” over the weekend, Escudero pointed out that government aid is often strictly tied to enrollment in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This framework, he noted, fails families who earn above official poverty thresholds but are ruined financially by high medical or legal expenses.

Escudero stressed that the lack of a single, unified definition of indigency across government agencies creates barriers to aid. Currently, barangays issue indigency certificates under the Local Government Code, the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) uses Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) income metrics, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) relies on its own targeting system.

“Indigency, therefore, should also be defined by circumstance, and not just income,” Escudero said.

He proposed introducing situational classifications such as “cancer-indigent” or “litigation-indigent.” Under this framework, middle-income earners—such as teachers—could still qualify for state assistance if extraordinary expenses exceed their financial capacity.

“Ano ba talaga ibig sabihin ng indigency? Meaning 4Ps ka ba? Ang problema kasi sa batas natin iisa lang ibig sabihin ng indigency. Pero para sa akin iba’t iba ang level ng indigency,” Escudero said.

(“What does indigency really mean? Does it automatically mean you’re a 4Ps beneficiary? The problem with our laws is that they treat indigency as a single definition. But for me, there are different levels of indigency.”)

He cited high legal costs, such as annulment proceedings, as an example.

“Hindi naman ganon kadaling pulutin ‘yung ₱200,000 to ₱500,000 na panggastos diyan, 'di ba? So, litigation-indigent siya. 'Pag may nagkasakit sa pamilya mo, tulad ng cancer, cancer-indigent ‘yung pamilya mo,” he added.

(“It’s not easy to pick up ₱200,000 to ₱500,000 out of nowhere, right? So that person is litigation-indigent. If a family member contracts a serious illness like cancer, that family becomes cancer-indigent.”)

The Senate chief called for a review of the current one-size-fits-all approach to better protect families facing sudden financial distress.

Litigation lawyer Maggie Garduque, a guest on the podcast, supported Escudero’s proposal, noting that creating tiered or situational classifications of indigency can be justified under the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

-Paraluman News