Ee a See: Seen Sone
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 09 AUG 2016
Quezon City | »

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

aera
rouse sino. 2775 | pa:

Introduced by REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to increase the monthly stipend of indigent senior citizens from
Five Hundred Pesos (P500.00) to One Thousand Pesos (P 1,000.00) and to provide a
monthly stipend of Two Thousand Pesos (P 2,000.00) to indigent senior citizens who
are seventy (70) years old and above.

The 1987 Constitution provides under Sec. 10 of Article Il that,” The State shall
promote social justice in all phases of national development.” It also provides under
Sec. 9 of the Declaration of Principles and State Policies that, “The State shall
promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and
independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that
provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of
living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

It further provides under Section 4, Article XV that,” The family has the
duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just
programs of social security.”

These principles enshrined in our Constitution not only protect the less privileged
and the most vulnerable sectors in our society but also affirms their important role in
the community and as partners in nation- building.

Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 provides for
a review every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the Department of
Social Welfare and Development, relative to the social pension for indigent Filipino
citizens. It cannot be denied that over the years the prices of necessities for our
elderly, especially maintenance medicines and the like, have increased. By
increasing their purchasing power this measure hopes not only to extend help and
support to our elderly but also to encourage them to actively participate and impart
their vast knowledge and experience necessary for our country to move forward.

It can also be said that those who are in dire need for said social pension are
deprived of its benefits due to the age required for them to be covered as
beneficiaries. Considering today’s average life span such a requirement is somewhat
unreasonable.

Therefore the time is ripe to revisit the provisions embodied in the existing
statute and uphold the time honored principle that those who have less in life should
have more in law.

In view of the foregoing. the passage oj ill is highly and earnesth een



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

Pipes

House ano. 29

Introduced by REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA

AN ACT
INCREASING AND EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE MONTHLY STIPEND OF INDIGENT
SENIOR CITIZENS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED,
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, paragraph h, sub-paragraph 1 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:
“(a) 00K 20% 20%

“[h) Additional Government Assistance

(1) Social Pension

“Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to
[Five hundred pesos (Php500.00)] ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P 1,000.00) to
augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens,
subject to a review every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the
DSWD. PROVIDED, THAT THE MONTHLY STIPEND FOR INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS
SHALL BE TWO THOUSAND PESOS (P 2,000.00) FOR THOSE WHO ARE (70) YEARS
OLD AND ABOVE.

700 OK Ox.

SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations and other issuances or any paris thereof inconsistent with this ACT are
hereby repealed, modified or amended 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,