A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to establish an Agricultural Pension Program to provide long-overdue social security and pension benefits to the country’s farmers and fisherfolk.

Representative Nathaniel Oducado of the 1Tahanan Party-list filed House Bill No. 5009, or the "Pensyonadong Magsasaka at Mangingisda" bill, arguing that the sectors that form the backbone of national food security remain among the poorest in the country.

Oducado pointed out that in 2023, poverty incidence was recorded at 27.0 percent among farmers and 27.4 percent among fisherfolk, placing them among the top three poorest sectors.

Unlike workers in the formal sector, they are largely excluded from the national social security system, leaving them vulnerable in old age, illness, or disability.

The proposed measure would establish a comprehensive pension and social security program. It would also offer an educational scholarship to the legitimate and legally adopted children of registered farmer and fisherfolk beneficiaries, which would include reasonable allowances for supplies and academic needs.

"This aims not only to secure their present welfare but also to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring access to quality education," Oducado said.

He cited the case of "Mang Romeo," a 70-year-old farmer from Nueva Ecija who continues to work despite decades of service because he receives no government retirement support.

"Farmers and fisherfolk play an essential role in our survival and national development. It is only right that the State ensures a decent quality of life, reliable retirement support, and opportunities for their children’s future," he added. "With this program, we want to give dignity, security, and hope to those who feed our nation."