Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has called for a broader definition of indigency to grant more Filipinos access to government services, saying current standards are too narrow and fail to capture the realities faced by many households.
In his podcast “Chiz Wiz! Usapang May Laman” aired over the weekend, Escudero noted that indigency is often equated with membership in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, leaving out families who may not be income‑poor but are unable to absorb medical or litigation costs.
He pointed out that under current laws, “indigency” lacks a uniform definition, varying across the different government agencies that define it.
Barangays issue certificates of indigency in accordance with the Local Government Code, the Public Attorney’s Office aligns its threshold with the Philippine Statistics Authority metrics, while the 4Ps law relies on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s targeting system to identify poor households.
“Indigency, therefore, should also be defined by circumstance, and not just income,” he said.
To illustrate his point, the veteran legislator said families burdened by serious illness such as leukemia may be considered “cancer‑indigent,” while those unable to shoulder litigation costs could be classified as “litigation‑indigent” to reflect real situations. Even professionals, like teachers, who may earn above the minimum wage still fall into these categories when faced with extraordinary expenses.
This restrictive framework, the senator said, excludes households who may exceed income thresholds but are incapable of absorbing litigation costs or medical bills.
“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.
“Kamukha rin nito magpa-file ka ng nullity of marriage, hindi naman ganon kadaling pulutin ‘yung P200,000 to P500,000 na panggastos diyan, di ba? So, litigation-indigent siya. Pag may nagkasakit sa pamilya mo, tulad ng cancer, cancer‑indigent ‘yung pamilya mo,” he explained.
The veteran legislator said the present one-size-fits-all requirement should be revisited to recognize different classifications of indigency—a position supported by his podcast guest, litigation lawyer Maggie Garduque, who said that such classifications are possible under the Constitution’s equal protection clause.