Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1071

Introduced by HONORABLE SCOTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Consistent with the Filipino kinship and culture of grandparents taking care of
their biological children as their own children, a need to provide additional support
and incentive to these senior citizens who, despite their age, still take on the role as
parents.

As provided in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, it is the
declared policy of the State to 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. In the Declaration of
Principles and State Policies in Article II, Sections 10 and 11, it is further declared
that the State shall provide social justice in all phases of national development and that
the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for
human rights

Further, Article XIII, Section 11 of the 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. Article XV, Section 4 of
the Constitution Further declares that it is the duty of the family to take care of its
elderly members while the State may design programs of social security for them.

‘Therefore, consistent with these constitutional principles, this Act shall serve
the following objectives:

(a) To recognize the rights of senior citizens to take their proper place in
society and make it a concern of the family, community, and government,

(b) To give full support to the improvement of the total well-being of the
elderly and their full participation in society, considering that senior citizens
are integral part of Philippine society;

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(c) To motivate and encourage the senior citizens to contribute to nation
building;

(d) To encourage their families and the communities they live with to reaffirm
the valued Filipino tradition of caring for the senior citizens;

(©) To provide a comprehensive health care and rehabilitation system for
disabled senior citizens to foster their capacity to attain a more meaningful and
productive ageing; and

(0) To recognize the important role of the private sector in the improvement of
the welfare of senior citizens and to actively seek their partnership

Hence, in accordance with these objectives, this Act shall

(1) establish mechanisms whereby the contributions of the senior citizens are
maximized;

(2) adopt measures whereby our senior citizens are assisted and appreciated by
the community as a whole;

(3) establish a program beneficial to the senior citizens, their families and the
rest of the community they serve: and

(4) establish community-based health and rehabilitation programs for senior
citizens in every political unit of society.

Finally, this Bill proposes to add additional grant of discount and exemption for
senior citizens who are solely responsible for the care and custody of their minor
grandchildren due to the death, absence or neglect of the biological parents of the
latter.

SCOTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.
‘epresentative
Third District, Province of Masbate


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1071

House Bill No.

Introduced by HONORABLE SCOTT DAVIES S. LANETE, M.D.

AN ACT GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES TO
SENIOR CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994, 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. Title. - This Act Shall be known as the "Expanded Senior Citizens Act.”

Sec. 2. Sec. 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9257,
otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003", is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

SEC. 2. Definition of terms. - For purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as
follows:

“(i) Grandparent-as-parents- Senior Citizens who are solely responsible for their
minor grandchildren for the latter’s rearing, education, health and foster care.”

Sec. 3. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9257,
otherwise known as the "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003", is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 4. Privileges for the Senior Citizens. .
The senior citizens shall be entitled to the following:

"(e) the additional grant of a minimum of five percent (5%) discount and exemption
from the value -added tax (VAT), if applicable, for grandparent-as-parent defined
under this law on the sale of the following goods and services from all establishments
although not for the exclusive use and benefit of the Senior Citizen


"(1) on the purchase of medicines, including the purchase of influenza and
pnuemococeal vaccines, and such other essential medical supplies, accessories and
equipment to be determined by the Department of Health (DOH),

"The DOH shall establish guidelines and mechanism of compulsory rebates in the
sharing of burden of discounts among retailers, manufacturers and distributors, taking
into consideration their respective margins;

"(2) on the professional fees of attending physician/s in all private hospitals, medical
facilities, outpatient clinics and home health care services;

"(3) on the professional fees of licensed professional health providing home health
care services as endorsed by private hospitals or employed through home health care
employment agencies;

"(4) on medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory fees in all private
hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health care services, in
accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the DOH, in coordination
with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth);

"(5) in actual fare for land transportation travel in public utility buses (PUBs), public
utility jeepneys (PUJs), taxis, Asian utility vehicles (AUVs), shuttle services and
public railways, including Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mass Rail Transit (MRT), and
Philippine National Railways (PNR);

"(6) in actual transportation fare for domestic air transport services and sea shipping
vessels and the like, based on the actual fare and advanced booking;

"(7) on the utilization of services in hotels and similar lodging establishments,
restaurants and recreation centers;

"(8) on admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses,
leisure and amusement;

“(9) on tuition fees and other fees charged by government and private schools where
the grandchild of the grandparent-as-parent is enrolled.”

“Provided, That the grandparent-as-parent registers as such witht the OSCA; Provided
further, That in schools where the grandchildren of the grandparent-as-parent are
informed that such student is under the sole care and responsibility of the senior
citizen.”

Sec. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DSWD shall formulate and adopt
amendments to the existing rules and regulations implementing Republic Act No
7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9257, to carry out the objectives of this Act, in
consultation with the Department of Finance, the Department of Tourism, the Housing

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and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the DOLE, the DOJ, the
DILG, the DTI, the DOH, the DOTC, the NEDA, the DepED, the TESDA, the CHED,
and five (5) NGOs or POs for the senior citizens duly accredited by the DSWD. The
guidelines pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) shall be established by the DOH within sixty
(60) days upon the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 5. Appropriations. - The necessary appropriations for’ the operation and
maintenance of the OSCA shall be appropriated and approved by the LGUs
concemed. For national government agencies, the requirements to implement the
provisions of this Act shall be included in their respective budgets: Provided, That the
funds to be used for the national health program and for the vaccination of senior
citizens in the first year of the DOH and thereafter, as a line item under the under the
DOH budget in the subsequent General Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, further,
That the monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens in the first year of
implementation shall be added to the regular appropriations of the DSWD budget in
the subsequent GAA

Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. - All law, executive orders, rules and regulations or any part
hereof inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed or modified accordingly

Sec. 7. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional and invalid, such declaration shall not invalidate other parts thereof
which shall remain in full force and effect.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,