Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  ________ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
DEFINING AND PROHIBITING SENIOR CITIZEN ABUSE, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines “elder abuse” as a “single or 
repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where 
there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.” 
It is a violation of human rights, and includes physical, sexual, psychological and 
emotional abuse, financial and material abuse, abandonment, neglect, and serious 
loss of dignity and respect.1  
According to the WHO, at least 1 in 6 people (15.7%) aged 60 years and 
older are subjected to some form of abuse prior to the pandemic.2 This number 
was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as found by a study conducted in 
the United States.3 
In the Philippines, data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that 
1 June 13, 2022. Abuse of older people. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-
people (Last accessed on May 15, 2023). 
2  Elder abuse prevalence in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Available at 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28104184/ (Last accessed on June 19, 2023). Based on a 2017 review of 52 studies in 28 
countries. 
3 Ibid. 
August 7, 2023
4:44 pm
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there was a total of 182,653 incidents involving senior citizens as victims from 
January 1, 2016, to April 16, 2023. While there had been a decrease in number of 
incidents involving senior citizens from 32,897 in 2016 to 20,464 in 2022, some 
incidents that have not reached the authorities may not have been taken into 
account. In fact, the United Nations (UN) noted that underreporting of cases of 
elder abuse is not new, and this can be attributed to various factors, such as 
“loyalty, shame, and embarrassment of the victims, who may be afraid of retaliation, 
including withdrawal of affection and care.”4 
The rights to life, liberty, and security are universal and inalienable. Article 
XV, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution expressly states that “[t]he family has 
the duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just 
programs of social security.”5 In pursuit of this policy, the Philippines also ratified 
various international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant 
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, 
Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and through the passage of various 
measures specifically catering to senior citizens.  
Thus, in compliance with the constitutional mandates, and to ensure that 
our senior citizens are given adequate protection from any form of abuse, this bill 
penalizes “Senior Citizen Abuse,” which shall include physical, sexual, 
psychological, or economic abuse, or neglect, and imposes penalties for the 
commission of such acts. This bill also expressly declares the nature of such 
crimes as “public offenses,” thereby allowing the prosecution of such violations 
through a complaint by any citizen having personal knowledge of the commission 
of the act. This measure also outlines the duties and responsibilities in responding 
to such cases, mandates the provision of various forms of support for victims, and 
other interventions to be able to respond to such cases appropriately and 
adequately, including the establishment of a Senior Citizen Desk in police stations 
and the conduct of massive information campaign on the provisions of this Act.  
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought. 
EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
4  June 14, 2018. World Elder Abuse Day, 15 June 2018. Available at https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-
releases/2018/06/world-elder-abuse-awareness-day-15-june-
2018#:~:text=Underreporting%20of%20cases%20of%20elder,withdrawal%20of%20affection%20and%20care(Last 
accessed on June 19, 2023). 
5 Article XV, Section 4, The 1987 Philippine Constitution 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  ________ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
DEFINING AND PROHIBITING SENIOR CITIZEN ABUSE, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the ''Anti-Senior 
1 
Citizens Abuse Act.” 
2 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect and 
4 
promote the rights, dignity, security, and welfare of senior citizens. Towards this 
5 
end, the State shall work actively to eliminate all forms of senior citizen abuse, 
6 
provide sanctions for the commission of any form of abuse inflicted upon senior 
7 
citizens, and adopt a program for the prevention, deterrence, and crisis 
8 
intervention in situations of senior citizen abuse. 
9 
10 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act: 
11 
12 
a)
Senior Citizen refers to a person sixty (60) years old or above;
13 
14 
b)
Senior Citizen Abuse refers to a single, or repeated act, or lack of
15 
appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an
16 
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expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to a Senior Citizen. It 
1 
includes, but is not limited to, the following acts: 
2 
 
3 
1) 
Physical Abuse refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm. It 
4 
includes striking, hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, 
5 
kicking, pinching, burning, inappropriate use of drugs and physical 
6 
restraints, force-feeding, and physical punishment of any kind;  
7 
 
8 
2) 
Sexual Abuse refers to non-consensual acts which are sexual in nature. 
9 
It includes, but is not limited to, (i) rape, acts of lasciviousness, treating 
10 
one as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive 
11 
remarks, physically attacking the sexual parts of the body, forcing one 
12 
to watch obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing one to do 
13 
indecent acts and/or make films or photographs thereof, sodomy, 
14 
coerced nudity, and unwanted sexual touching; (ii) causing or 
15 
attempting to cause one to engage in any sexual activity by force, threat 
16 
of force, whether physical or other harm, or threat of physical or other 
17 
harm or coercion; or (iii) prostituting the senior citizen;  
18 
 
19 
3) 
Psychological Abuse refers to acts or omissions causing or is likely to 
20 
cause mental or emotional suffering. It includes verbal assaults, insults, 
21 
threats, intimidation, public ridicule, humiliation, mockery, vilification, 
22 
harassment, and enforced social isolation;  
23 
 
24 
4) 
Economic Abuse refers to acts that make or attempt to make a Senior 
25 
Citizen financially dependent. It includes withdrawal of financial support, 
26 
deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right 
27 
to the use and enjoyment of one’s property, control or misuse of the 
28 
money or property of a Senior Citizen, encashment of a Senior Citizen's 
29 
check without authorization or permission, forgery of a Senior Citizen's 
30 
signature, coercion or deception of a Senior Citizen into signing any 
31 
document, and the improper use of conservatorship, guardianship, or 
32 
power of attorney;  
33 
 
34 
5) 
Neglect refers to the failure of those responsible to feed, or provide 
35 
shelter, health care, or protection to a Senior Citizen. 
36 
 
37 
SEC. 4. Prohibited Acts Constituting Senior Citizen Abuse. — The 
38 
crime of Senior Citizen Abuse is committed through any of the following acts: 
39 
 
40 
a) 
Causing, threatening, attempting to cause or placing a senior citizen in fear 
41 
of imminent, physical abuse to a Senior Citizen; 
42 
 
43 
b) 
Causing or attempting to cause sexual abuse to a Senior Citizen; 
44 
 
45 
c) 
Causing or attempting to cause psychological abuse to a Senior Citizen; 
46 


 
 
1 
d) 
Causing or attempting to cause economic abuse to a Senior Citizen;  
2 
 
3 
e) 
Neglect of a Senior Citizen; and 
4 
 
5 
f) 
Other analogous or similar acts. 
6 
 
7 
SEC. 5. Penalties. — The crime of Senior Citizen Abuse under Section 4 
8 
hereof shall be punished according to the following rules: 
9 
 
10 
a) 
Acts falling under Subsections (a) and (b) shall be punished in accordance 
11 
with the penalties provided under the Revised Penal Code;  
12 
 
13 
b) 
Acts falling under Subsection (c) shall be punishable by prision mayor; 
14 
 
15 
c) 
Acts falling under Sec. 4(d) shall be punishable by prision correcional; and 
16 
 
17 
d) 
Acts falling under Sec. 4(e) shall be punishable by arresto mayor, unless it 
18 
results in a physical, psychological and other abuse. 
19 
 
20 
 
The penalty provided herein shall be imposed in its maximum period if: 
21 
 
22 
a) 
The offender-perpetrator has been previously convicted under this Act; 
23 
 
24 
b) 
The offender is a relative of up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity or affinity 
25 
to the victim; 
26 
 
27 
c) 
The offender is an owner-operator, manager, or employee of a privately-
28 
operated, for profit or non-profit, elderly facility; and 
29 
 
30 
d) 
The offender is a public official, staff or employee of a government-operated 
31 
elderly residential/group home; Provided, That said public servant or 
32 
employee can be subjected to suspension and/or termination according to 
33 
administrative discipline procedures. 
34 
 
35 
The above-mentioned penalties shall not preclude the filing of the 
36 
appropriate civil case for damages or administrative cases. Administrative 
37 
penalties shall include the suspension or revocation of accreditation or license to 
38 
operate issued by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 
39 
 
40 
SEC. 6. Public Crime. — Senior Citizen Abuse shall be considered a public 
41 
offense which may be prosecuted upon the filing of a complaint by any citizen 
42 
having personal knowledge of the circumstances involving the commission of the 
43 
crime. 
44 
 
45 
SEC. 7. Prohibited Defense. — Being under the influence of alcohol, any 
46 


 
illicit drugs, or any other mind-altering substance shall not be a defense under this 
1 
Act. 
2 
SEC. 8. Persons Intervening Exempt from Liability. — Any person who 
3 
responds or intervenes with force or violence that is greater than necessary to 
4 
ensure the safety of the victim, shall not be liable for any criminal, civil, or 
5 
administrative case resulting therefrom. 
6 
 
7 
SEC. 9. Confidentiality. — All Senior Citizen Abuse cases shall be 
8 
confidential. For this purpose, all persons shall respect the right to privacy of the 
9 
victim in accordance with Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, 
10 
and other related laws, rules and regulations. Any person who shall make public 
11 
any relevant or identifying information about the case or the victim shall be 
12 
punished with imprisonment of one (1) year and a fine of Five Hundred Thousand 
13 
Pesos (P500,000.00). 
14 
 
15 
SEC. 10. Establishment of a Senior Citizens Help Desk. — Every 
16 
barangay shall establish a Senior Citizen Help Desk and corresponding hotline 
17 
number which shall provide immediate assistance to the victims of Senior Citizen 
18 
Abuse. The Senior Citizen Help Desk may be manned by representatives of the 
19 
Senior Citizens who are residents of the barangay or members of a local Senior 
20 
Citizen organization designated and authorized by the Barangay Council or 
21 
Chairperson. In addition, police stations across the country shall have a Senior 
22 
Citizen Desk which shall attend to, and act on, complaints/cases covered by this 
23 
Act.  
24 
 
25 
SEC. 11. Response to a Request for Assistance. — In responding to a 
26 
request for assistance, a barangay official or law enforcer shall have the following 
27 
duties: 
28 
 
29 
a)  
Respond immediately to a call for help or request for protection of the victim 
30 
by entering the Senior Citizen victim's dwelling, if necessary, to assist the 
31 
victim; 
32 
 
33 
b)  
Confiscate any harmful object in the possession of the perpetrator, or one 
34 
which is within plain view; 
35 
 
36 
c)  
Transport the victim to a barangay hall, or to a clinic or hospital; 
37 
 
38 
d)  
Assist the victim in removing personal belongings from the dwelling; 
39 
 
40 
e)  
Ensure the enforcement of the Protection Order issued in accordance with 
41 
Section 14 hereof; 
42 
 
43 
f)  
Arrest the suspected perpetrator even without a warrant when any of the acts 
44 
constituting Senior Citizen abuse defined hereof is occurring, or if based on 
45 
personal knowledge, an act of violence has been committed, and there is 
46 


 
imminent danger to the life or limb of the Senior Citizen; and 
1 
 
2 
g)  
Immediately report the call for assistance to the DSWD, the Local 
3 
Government Unit (LGU) or accredited Non-Government Organization (NGO). 
4 
 
5 
SEC. 12. Healthcare Provider Response to Abuse. — Any healthcare 
6 
provider, including, but not limited to, an attending physician, nurse, clinician, 
7 
barangay health worker, therapist, social worker, or counselor who suspects abuse 
8 
or has been informed by the victim of Senior Citizen Abuse shall: 
9 
 
10 
a)  
Properly document any of the victim's physical, emotional or psychological 
11 
injuries;  
12 
 
13 
b)  
Properly record any of the victim's suspicions, observations and 
14 
circumstances of the examination or visit; 
15 
 
16 
c)  
Automatically provide the victim, free of charge, a medical certificate 
17 
concerning the examination or visit; 
18 
 
19 
d)  
Safeguard the records and make them available to the victim upon request 
20 
at actual cost; and 
21 
 
22 
e)  
Provide the victim immediate and adequate notice of the rights and remedies 
23 
provided under this Act, including the services available to them. 
24 
 
25 
SEC. 13. Rights of Victims. — In addition to their rights under existing 
26 
laws, victims of Senior Citizen Abuse shall have the following rights: 
27 
 
28 
a) 
To be treated with respect and dignity; 
29 
 
30 
b) 
To avail of legal assistance from the Public Attorneys Office (PAO); 
31 
 
32 
c) 
To be entitled to support services from the National Commission for Senior 
33 
Citizens and other concerned agencies and LGUs; 
34 
 
35 
d) 
To be entitled to all legal remedies and support as provided under the Family 
36 
Code and other relevant laws; and 
37 
 
38 
e) 
To be informed of their rights and the services available to them, including 
39 
their right to apply for a protection order. 
40 
 
41 
SEC. 14. Barangay Protection Order. — Barangay Protection Orders 
42 
(BPOs) refer to the protection order issued by the Punong Barangay ordering the 
43 
perpetrator to desist from committing the prohibited acts under Section 4 of this 
44 
Act. A Punong Barangay who receives an application for a BPO shall issue the 
45 
protection order to the applicant on the date of filing after ex parte determination 
46 


 
of the basis of the application. 
1 
 
2 
If the Punong Barangay is unavailable to act on the application for a BPO, 
3 
the application shall be acted upon by any available Barangay Kagawad. If the 
4 
BPO is issued by a Barangay Kagawad, the order must be accompanied by an 
5 
attestation by the Barangay Kagawad that the Punong Barangay was unavailable 
6 
at the time for the issuance of the BPO. 
7 
 
8 
Immediately after the issuance of an ex parte BPO, the Punong Barangay 
9 
or Barangay Kagawad shall personally serve a copy of the same on the respondent 
10 
or direct any barangay official to effect its personal service. The parties may be 
11 
accompanied by a non-lawyer advocate in any proceeding before the Punong 
12 
Barangay. 
13 
 
14 
Hearings on applications for a BPO shall have priority over all other 
15 
proceedings. 
16 
 
17 
BPOs shall be effective for a period of thirty (30) days.   
18 
 
19 
SEC. 15. Mandatory Programs and Services for Victims. — The NCSC 
20 
and other relevant agencies shall provide appropriate assistance to victims, 
21 
including, but not limited to, temporary shelters, counseling, psycho-social services 
22 
and/or recovery, rehabilitation programs and livelihood assistance. 
23 
 
24 
The NCSC shall include services addressing Senior Citizen Abuse. All 
25 
suspected cases of Senior Citizen Abuse must be reported in accordance with 
26 
existing laws. The NCSC, in coordination with the relevant agencies and LGUs, 
27 
shall maintain a Senior Citizen Abuse documentation and case monitoring system, 
28 
and set up a databank to keep an accurate and reliable record of instances of 
29 
abuse and violence committed against the Senior Citizens.  
30 
 
31 
SEC. 16. Formulation of the Program. — Within one (1) year from the 
32 
effectivity of this Act, the NCSC and the Department of Justice (DOJ), in 
33 
coordination with relevant stakeholders, shall formulate a comprehensive program 
34 
for the protection of Senior Citizens against Senior Citizen Abuse. 
35 
 
36 
SEC. 17. Duties of Other Government Agencies and LGUs. — Other 
37 
government agencies and LGUs shall establish programs such as, but not limited 
38 
to, 
39 
education and information campaign and seminars or symposia on the nature, 
40 
causes, incidences and consequences of Senior Citizen Abuse. They shall ensure 
41 
that all personnel are aware of the provisions of this Act and the ways to prevent 
42 
the commission of Senior Citizen Abuse as provided under the Act. 
43 
 
44 
SEC. 18. Trainings and Capacity-Building for Intervenors. — All 
45 
government agencies involved in responding to Senior Citizen Abuse cases shall 
46 


 
be required to undergo education and training, to be conducted by the NCSC, to 
1 
acquaint them with the following: 
2 
 
3 
a) 
The nature, extent, causes, and risk factors of Senior Citizen Abuse; 
4 
 
5 
b) 
The legal rights and remedies of victims of Senior Citizen Abuse; 
6 
 
7 
c) 
Legal duties of barangay officials, LGU personnel, police officers, court 
8 
authorities, and other persons offering assistance and protection to victims of 
9 
Senior Citizen Abuse; 
10 
 
11 
d) 
Available services and facilities for victims of Senior Citizen Abuse; and 
12 
 
13 
e) 
Approaches in handling Senior Citizen Abuse cases to minimize injury, 
14 
protect the privacy, promote the safety, and ensure the well-being of the 
15 
victim. 
16 
 
17 
The Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with relevant public and 
18 
private institutions, shall provide capacity-building training on the prevention, 
19 
detection, and management of psycho-social problems and other geriatric 
20 
concerns of Senior Citizens, such as dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, among 
21 
healthcare providers, home caregivers, and staff and employees of nursing homes 
22 
and/or elderly residential facilities, specifically on handling Senior Citizen Abuse. 
23 
 
24 
SEC. 19. Counseling and Rehabilitation of Offenders-Perpetrators. — 
25 
The DSWD shall provide rehabilitative counseling and treatment of perpetrators 
26 
towards learning constructive ways of coping with anger, emotional outbursts, or 
27 
stress. Psychiatric treatment or confinement may also be recommended by the 
28 
responsible authorities, if necessary. 
29 
 
30 
SEC. 20. Funding. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of 
31 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA). 
32 
 
33 
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within six (6) months 
34 
from the approval of this Act, the NCSC, in coordination with the DOJ, DSWD, 
35 
DOH, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine 
36 
National Police (PNP), and in consultation with concerned stakeholders, shall 
37 
promulgate 
the 
implementing 
rules 
and 
regulations 
for 
the 
effective 
38 
implementation of this Act. 
39 
 
40 
SEC. 22. Suppletory Application. — The Revised Penal Code and other 
41 
applicable laws shall have suppletory application in the implementation of this Act. 
42 
 
43 
SEC. 23. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is 
44 
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which 
45 
are not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
46 


 
 
1 
SEC. 24. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, 
2 
executive orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or 
3 
parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this 
4 
Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly. 
5 
 
6 
SEC. 25. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
7 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
8 
 
9 
Approved, 
10