PRESIDENTIAL bet Panfilo Lacson vowed to revisit some policies of financial institutions that are deemed discriminatory to senior citizens as he said that old people can still be productive.

Lacson highlighted the issue of a 66-year-old woman who shared that she will lose her benefits from a microfinance association she’s a member of when she reaches the age of 70.

“Masyadong discriminatory. Bakit ‘pag 70 years old ka automatically hindi ka na productive? Wala ka nang silbi?” Lacson said.

“Ina-assume nila pagdating mong 70-anyos baka wala ka nang capacity, wherewithal na magbayad sa inyong microfinance. Mali po ‘yon. Dapat tingnan natin ‘yung kakayahan ng tao. Maski 80 years old at productive pa rin dapat huwag nating i-discriminate,” the presidential aspirant added.

The woman shared that she is a stockholder at a microfinance outfit that extends loans and other financial services to individuals.

However, her membership contract stated that once she reaches the age of 70, she can no longer borrow money, but can stay only as a member and a saver.

Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente Sotto III told the woman that they will look at the possibility of revisiting laws that govern microfinance institutions under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

“Maski ngayong senador pa lang kami bibisitahin po namin ‘yang regulasyon na ‘yan o batas na ‘yan kung ito ba’y Central Bank regulation o kung ano man siyang regulasyon na dapat i-revisit,” Lacson said.

He pledged to enforce an anti-age discrimination policy if he is elected president in May.

“Dapat wala tayong dini-discriminate. Mali po ‘yang ganyang patakaran. Tingnan natin po ‘yung capacity, ‘yung productivity, ‘yung pagiging may kakayahan nung tao huwag ‘yung edad,” Lacson said.