Just hoping to have money to take care of medicine myself
Over 60 years old, Mr. Nguyen Van Buoi (Nam Sach commune, Hai Phong) still regularly works as a hired laborer in the construction sector when called.
Heavy work was once his main source of income for many years, but now old age has reduced his health, and business trips are also gradually decreasing.
Mr. Buoi said that he used to participate in social insurance for a period of time. However, after quitting his job in the late 1980s, he received one-time social insurance and then returned to his hometown to farm and work freelance, so he no longer qualified to receive a pension.
Many days I want to go to work but I can't keep up. My income is not much now, while in old age I have to spend on everything, especially medicine money," Mr. Buoi said.
According to Mr. Buoi, what makes him think the most is not the difficult life but the feeling of becoming a burden for his children and grandchildren.
Children also have to take care of their families, raise their children to study, life is not abundant. I am old, if I have to ask my children for everything, I feel very guilty. There is a monthly allowance, although not much, I can also buy medicine myself, spend on necessary things myself, to avoid bothering my children," he shared.
When he learned that functional agencies are proposing to reduce the age for enjoying social pension benefits to 70 years old, Mr. Buoi said he was very excited.
If we have to wait until 75 years old, that time is very long. For the elderly, each year is very precious. I just hope the policy will be implemented soon so that people without pensions like us have more support in old age," Mr. Buoi shared.
Where there is money, there is self-reliance
Sharing the same feeling, Ms. Tran Thi Mai, over 70 years old, from Bac Ninh - currently going to Hanoi to take care of her grandchild - said that for many years she has not had a pension. In addition to taking care of her grandchild, she still takes advantage of selling goods to earn extra income.
According to Ms. Mai, when she was young, she only thought about trying to work to support her family, rarely thinking about what income she would earn in her old age.
She believes that most parents do not want to become a burden to their children.
If children are filial, they will still take care of their parents, but I also feel sorry for them. There are still so many things to worry about. If there is a monthly allowance, I can be proactive about medicine and living expenses, it will also lighten the burden for my children a lot. The elderly do not expect much, just want to live somewhat independently of their lives," she said.
According to Ms. Mai, the allowance not only has the meaning of economic support but also brings a sense of peace of mind when knowing that society still cares about you.
Expecting to expand the social security net for the elderly
According to the draft Law on Social Insurance (amended), the drafting agency (Ministry of Home Affairs) is submitting two options on the age for enjoying social pension benefits.
The first option maintains the current regulations, according to which people aged 75 and over who do not receive pensions or monthly social insurance allowances will be entitled to social pension benefits if requested.
The second option proposes assigning the Government to decide on a roadmap to gradually reduce the age for enjoying allowances to 70 years old, in accordance with socio-economic development conditions and budget balancing capacity.
The proposal to reduce the age of receiving allowances has received the consensus of many ministries, branches, and localities because it is expected to expand the coverage of social security for the elderly group without pensions, especially those who have worked in the informal sector, farmers or those who have received one-time social insurance.
Explaining the proposal to reduce the retirement age for receiving social pension benefits, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that gradually reducing the retirement age for social pension benefits is aimed at achieving the goal in Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW, aiming for about 60% of people after retirement age to receive monthly pensions, social insurance, or social pension benefits.
