Over 300 senior citizens, despite their frail health, patiently marched to Mendiola (Chino Roces Avenue) Monday to fight for a bill seeking to give them more benefits.

Men and women, aged 60 and above, gathered on Morayta Boulevard in Manila as early as 6 a.m., bringing with them the hope that President Arroyo will hear their plea and sign the proposed Expanded Senior Citizens Act, a bill mandating monthly stipend of P500 for indigent senior citizens and other medical benefits for the elderly.

The bill will also exempt the elderly from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) in the purchase of medicines and other services, Fransiskus Kupang, executive director of Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE), said.

Kupang said his group, together with the Confederation of Older Person Associations of the Philippines (COPAP), held a rally on the historic bridge in Manila at 8 a.m. as Malacañang allegedly continues to waver in signing the proposed measure that sought to ease their hardship.

"Stop dilly-dallying, sign the Expanded Senior Citizens' Act immediately.

We want to spend our remaining years with dignity," Kupang said, as he lamented Malacañang's different pronouncement on the proposed act.

"We are fighting not only for the senior citizens of today, but also for the young who are destined to be 'lolos' (grandfathers) and 'lolas'(grandmothers). Young and old, we all have the right to social protection. We cannot just sit on the sidelines waiting for the decision of the President to come out," he added.

Kupang said the elderly is already a step closer in attaining their supposed right after it was ratified by Congress and became a priority bill.

But the only hindrance, according to the COSE executive director, they see is whether Malacañang will not be swayed by other interest groups or not.

"Senior citizens demand that the measure now awaiting the signature of the President be signed into law and be implemented, not only for the benefit of older people, but for the nation as well," he said.

The group of senior citizens, accompanied by multi-sectoral network Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay of urban and rural poor, farmers and peasants, fisherfolk, women, children, and elderly, dispersed at 9:40 a.m.