Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5926

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by RAM Party-list REPRESENTATIVE ALOYSIA T. LIM

AN ACT INCREASING THE SOCIAL PENSION OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND EXPANDING THE
COVERAGE THEREOF, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 9994

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippine population is ageing. Based on the census of the Philippine
Statistics Authority, there were 7.5M senior citizens in 2015 or 7.5% of the total
population. Today, there are 9.4M Filipinos ages 60 and above. It is expected that by
2030, the number of senior citizens vis-a-vis the total population will increase to 11.4%
and will further push to 15.9% by 2045.

An increase in the number of senior citizens means an increase in health care
and other related services expenditures. It is important to note that based on the
Social Protection Note published by World Bank, only 17.5% of our senior citizens
receive old age pensions from GSIS and SSS. The rest rely on their families and relatives
for their health care and other needs or from the free services and medicines provided
by local governments and civil society organizations. Equally alarming is the fact that,
there are 509,382 senior citizens who live alone.

To provide social protection and income security for our indigent senior
citizens, the government introduced the social pension in 2010 as provided in Republic
‘Act 9994, also known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act. Indigent senior citizens are
given five hundred pesos (PhP500) monthly stipend to augment their capacity to meet
their daily subsistence and medical needs. A decade after, the mitigating impact of the
social pension has diminished with the increasing prices of commodities. Additionally,
the delay of releasing and the inconsistent and unclear standard of selection persist,
defeating the purpose of the law.

Thus, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought.

(LOYSIA T. LIM.


Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 5926

Introduced by RAM Party-list REPRESENTATIVE ALOYSIA T. LIM

AN ACT INCREASING THE SOCIAL PENSION OF SENIOR CITIZENS AND EXPANDING THE
COVERAGE THEREOF, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 9994

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act Nos. 9257 and
9994, otherwise known as “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, is hereby further amended
as follows:

“Sec. 2. Definition of Terms. — For the purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as
follows:

100
[ “th}Hadigent Senior Citizen, refers to-any elderly whois frail, sickly or with disability,
and_witheut_pension_or permanent_source of income compensation or financial
assistance from histher relatives te support histher basic needs-as determined bythe

i ae, :
eal cect aodag-boord.”]

‘“(h) Social Pension, refers to monthly stipend from the government to augment the
daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens which shall not be less
than one thousand pesos (PhP1,000) per month.”

SECTION 2. Section 5 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as
follows:

“Sec. 5. Government Assistance. ~ The government shall provide the following:
“00
“(h) Additional Government Assistance

(1) Social Pension


“jadigent] ALL senior citizens WITHOUT PENSION shall be entitled to a
monthly [stipend-amounting to-five Hundred Pesos {PhA500-00}] SOCIAL
PENSION OF AT LEAST ONE THOUSAND PESOS (PhP1,000.00) to augment
THEIR daily subsistence and other medical needs [of senior-citizens].

“THE SOCIAL PENSION SHALL BE REVIEWED BY CONGRESS, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND
DEVELOPMENT (DSWD), THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT
(DBM) AND OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS, EVERY TWO (2) YEARS AND,
WHEN NECESSARY, INCREASED, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS
OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS, THE INFLATION RATE, AND OTHER ECONOMIC
INDICATORS.”

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, rules and regulations, or portions thereof,
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Separability Clause. — If any provisions of this Act or the application of such
provision to any person or circumstances be declared unconstitutional, the remainder of this
Act or the application of such provision to other person or circumstances shall not be affected
by such declaration.

SECTION 5. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,