Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3175

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Article XIII, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall adopt
an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to
make essential goods, health and other social services available to all the people at
affordable cost. There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly,
disabled, women, and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to
paupers.”

‘The Constitution also states in Article XV, Section 4 that, "The family has the duty to
elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of social

Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 provides an array of
benefits, privileges and assistance to senior citizens such as a twenty-percent (20%)
discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of some
goods and services; death benefit assistance; educational assistance; free medical and
dental services; and exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs, among
others.

Italso grants indigent senior citizens additional privileges such as free vaccines, social
pension and mandatory Philhealth coverage. Senior citizens, however, who are not
considered as indigents but who cannot afford to enroll themselves under the National
Health Insurance: Program (NHIP) are deprived of the Philhealth benefits.

In this light, this measure aims to remove the limitation on the mandatory Philhealth
coverage for senior citizens, Under this bill, all senior citizens, whether indigent or not,
shall be enrolled under Philhealth. The funds necessary to ensure their Philhealth coverage
shall be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund.

This bill will enable all our senior citizens to feel more secure during the remaining
years of their lives because of the guarantee that they will have the access to medical and
health services when need arises.

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

ANGELINA “HELEN’ D.L. TAN, M.D.
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo,_3175

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY PHILHEALTH COVERAGE FOR ALL SENIOR
CITIZENS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EXPANDED SENIOR CITIZENS
ACT OF 2010"

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

SECTION 1. Section 5, sub-paragraph h (2) of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended is
hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5. Government Assistance. - The government shall provide the following:

XXX

"(h) Additional Government Assistance

"(1) xxx

"(2) Mandatory Philhealth Coverage

"All [indigent] senior citizens shall be covered by the national health insurance
program of Philhealth. FUNDS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE ENROLLMENT OF ALL SENIOR
CITIZENS SHALL BE SOURCED FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE FUND OF
PHILHEALTH [The LGUs where the indigent senior citizen resides shall allocate the
necessary funds to ensure the enrollment of their indigent senior citizens], in accordance
with pertinent laws and regulations.
"(3) xxx.

SEC. 2. Repealing Clause, - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

SEC. 3. Effectivity, - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,