Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo._ 1629

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
TO ENSURE THAT OLDER OR DISABLED PERSONS ARE PROTECTED FROM
INSTITUTIONAL, COMMUNITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND TO IMPROVE OUTREACH EFFORTS AND OTHER SERVICES
AVAILABLE TO OLDER OR DISABLED PERSONS VICTIMIZED BY SUCH
VIOLENCE

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The elderly has always been victims of moderate to severe abuse. Elderly abuse takes on
many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, and financial
exploitation. Elderly abuse is severely underreported, with only a fraction of cases reported. Some
elder or disabled persons, particularly women and minorities, fail to report abuse because of shame,
privacy concerns, or as a result of prior unsatisfactory experiences with individuals, agencies, or
others who lacked sensitivity to the concerns or needs of elder or disabled people. Others fail to
report abuse because they are dependent on their abusers and fear being abandoned and
institutionalized.

Hence, this bill seeks to ensure that elder or disabled persons are protected from
institutional, community, and domestic violence and sexual assault and to improve outreach efforts
and other services available to older or disabled persons victimized by such violence.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

“KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADOK
‘Representative
Fist District of Bulacan


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bu No. 1628

Introduced by: “KUYA” JOSE ANTONIO R. SY-ALVARADO

AN ACT
TO ENSURE THAT OLDER OR DISABLED PERSONS ARE PROTECTED FROM
INSTITUTIONAL, COMMUNITY AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL
ASSAULT AND TO IMPROVE OUTREACH EFFORTS AND OTHER SERVICES
AVAILABLE TO OLDER OR DISABLED PERSONS VICTIMIZED BY SUCH
VIOLENCE

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in
congress assembled.

SEC. 1. Title — This Act shall be known as the “Older Filipino’s Protection from Violence Act”

SEC. 2. Law School Clinical Programs on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation —The Secretary
of Justice shall make grants to law school clinical programs for the purposes of finding the
inclusion of cases addressing issues of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, including domestic
violence and sexual assault, against older or disabled individuals.

SEC. 3. Training Programs for Law Enforcement Officers — The Secretary of Justice, in
consultation with the Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and nongovernmental
organization shall develop curricula and offer, or provide for the offering of, training programs to
assist law enforcement officers, prosecutors and relevant officers of courts in recognizing,
addressing, investigating and prosecuting instances of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation,
including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals.

SEC. 4. Support Services — The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, in cooperation and
coordination with non-governmental organizations shall:

a) establish domestic violence programs to encourage the development programs, including
outreach, support groups and counseling, targeted to victims of elder domestic abuse and
establishment of domestic violence shelters, which shall include the use of senior housing,
nursing homes or other suitable facilities or services when appropriate as emergency short
term shelters or measures for older or disabled individuals who are the victims of elder
abuse, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals.

b) make grants to non-profit private organizations to support projects in local communities,
involving diverse sectors of each community, to coordinate activities concerning


intervention in and prevention of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, including domestic
violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals.

c) make grants to develop and implement outreach programs directed toward assisting older
or disabled individuals who are victims of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation (including
domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled individuals) including
programs directed toward assisting the individuals in senior housing complexes, nursing
homes, board and care facilities and senior centers.

4) For purposes of this section, the term “domestic violence” means act or threat of violence
not including an act of self-defense, committed:

1) by a current or former spouse of the victim

2) by a person related by blood or marriage to the victim

3) by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim

4) bya person with whom the victim shares a child in common

5) by a person who is or has been in the social relationship of a romantic or
intimate nature with the victim; or

6) by a person similarly situated to a spouse of the victim, or by any other person,
if the domestic or family violence laws of the jurisdiction of the victim provide
for legal protection of the victim from the person

SEC. 5. Training for Health Professionals on Screening for Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation

a) The Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, shall, in consultation with the
Assistant Secretary develop a curricula and implement continuing education training
programs for adult protective service workers, health care providers (including home
health care providers), social workers, clergy, domestic violence service providers and
other community-based social service providers in settings, including senior centers,
adult day care facilities, nursing homes, board and care facilities and senior housing to
improve their ability to recognize and address instances of elder abuse, neglect and
exploitation, including domestic violence and sexual assault against older or disabled
individuals.

b) In carrying out paragraph (a), the Secretary in consultation with the Department of
Health, and Commission on Higher Education shall develop and implement separate
curricula and training programs for medical students, physicians, physician assistants,
nurse practitioners and nurses.

SEC. 6. Funding — The amount necessary to effectively carry out the provisions of this Act is
hereby authorized to be appointed.

SEC. 7. Separability Clause. — If for any reason, any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall remain in full force
and effect.

SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, resolutions, orders or ordinances, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed amended or modified
accordingly.

SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
official Gazette oy/in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.