Within the framework of the National Day of Older Adults, President Dina Boluarte announced that the minimum pension for those covered by Decree Law 19990 will rise from S/500 to S/600, benefiting more than half a million retirees.
Alex Contrerashead of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), specified that this increase of S/100 in the minimum pension of the Pension Standardization Office (ONP) is being incorporated into the pension reform proposal that the Executive Power will send to Congress.
Therefore, it expects that this increase can materialize from January next yearsince the current situation does not allow this adjustment to be made in the short term.
“The bill that would allow the increase in the minimum pensionwe would send it at the end of September, with the aim that it can be implemented in 2024”, explained Contreras, who acknowledged that retirees suffer from the loss of purchasing power due to inflation.
Likewise, the official indicated that the fiscal cost of this measure is approximately S/550 million.
“In the case of the minimum pension, we are talking about more than 600,000 retirees who are going to see their pension increased starting next year,” confirmed the head of the MEF.
It is important to mention that the last pension adjustment in this scheme it was approved four years agoin 2019, when it went from S/415 to S/500.
Insufficient increase and alien to social dialogue
Although retirees have enthusiastically welcomed the increase in pensions, they consider that there is still are insufficient the proposed S/600, because this amount does not cover the basic needs of the elderly.
Oscar Alarcon, President of the National Central of Retirees and Pensioners of Peru (cenajupe), commented that the increase of S/100 will only serve to assume the expenses of electricity, water and internet. For this reason, they demand that the Government make progressive adjustments until the pensions are at the same level as the minimum vital remuneration, as ordered by a sentence of the Constitutional Court (TC).
In addition, he criticized that this eventual increase in pensions has been carried out without prior dialogue with retirees.
“Welcome to all necessary increases. If this is a first stage to comply with what the TC sentence says, it is remarkable, but what is reprehensible is that this don’t be conversational and it is not the result of a social consensus”, Alarcón said in La República.
Likewise, from the Cenajupe they rejected that the increase in the minimum pension is being included within the pension reform and not as an individual bill, since the latter would allow its approval to be given more quickly because there is consensus with Congress of the Republic. Instead, it seems headed for a never-ending debate.
Minimum pension in fishing regime
The main problem with the fishing regime is that there is no minimum pension, which has led some retirees to receive only S/15.
Faced with this, the Executive Branch announced that a supreme decree establishing a minimum pension of S/360 for the retirees of Fishing Regime and for the beneficiaries who belonged to the Fisherman’s Box on sale.
“Fishermen who today receive pensions of S/15, S/20 or S/80 will have an increase of S/360 as a base pension, which will grow as the Fiscal Fund increases,” said President Boluarte.
According to the Minister of Economy, this measure is ready to be implemented from next September and seeks to benefit 4,000 fishermen, who are in said pension regime.
Data
Resources. The president indicated that next year there will be a budget increase of social programs, in order to close the care gap in initiatives such as Pensión 65.
Much to do. Currently, there are 5.3 million older adults in the country. Just over 1 million are in a situation of poverty, according to Enaho.
reactions
Dina Boluarte, President of the Republic
“We have come to tell you that there will be an increase in remuneration (of the pension), because we understand that at this stage of adulthood, that is the most difficultWe need more accompaniment.”
Oscar Alarcon. president of Cenajupe
“S/100 It is insufficient for the budget of the pensioners of Peru. S/500 or S/600 is not enough for pensioners, who have contributed their working life to the country, to have a decent life”.
Source: Larepublica
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