SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 712 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
Explanatory Note 
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JUL 10 A953 
The Philippines is known as a nation that holds in high regard the welfare of the elderly. 
We can proudly claim that our society gives premium on ensuring that senior members of our 
community are respected, taken cared of, and more importantly, living in comfort and security. 
In line with this, the Congress has enacted various legislations benefiting our senior 
citizens. One of which, is Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 
which provides an array of benefits, privileges and assistance for our esteemed senior citizens. 
The said law, grants our senior citizens a twenty-percent (20%) discount and exemption 
from the value -added tax (V AT), 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. The same law also grants indigent 
senior citizens additional privileges such as free vaccines, social pension and mandatory 
Philhealth coverage. 
The mandatory Philhealth coverage for indigent senior citizens enables them to avail of 
health services, free from "out-of-pocket" expenses. However, while this provision is 
meritorious, it is limited only to indigent senior citizens, most of whom are already under the 
indigent or sponsored membership of Philhealth. Senior citizens who are not considered jls 
indigents but who cannot afford to enroll themselves under the National Health Insurance· 
Program (NHIP), are then deprived of the Philhealth benefits. 
This bill proposes 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 measure 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. 
It is in this regard that the passage of this bill is earnestly so"',I.1----
mksbc 


'sl'l1<ltr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
(!l}fftrt tlf Hl!' ,).l'n'ldnrU 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
JUL 10 A9:53 
SENATE 
S:No, 712 
RECEIVE!) BY; f 
( 
Introduced by Senator Ralph G. Recto 
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 the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. 
Section 5, sub-paragraph h(2) of Republic Act No. 7432, as 
2 
amended is hereby further amended to read as follows: 
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"SEC. 5. Government Assistance. - The government shall provide the 
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following: 
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"xxx 
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"(h) Additional Government Assistance 
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"(1) xxx 
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"(2) Mandatory Philhealth Coverage 
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"All [indigent] senior citizens shall be covered by the national 
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health 
insurance 
program 
of 
Philhealth. 
FUNDS 
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NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE ENROLLMENT OF 
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ALL SENIOR CITIZENS SHALL BE SOURCED FROM 
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THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE FUND OF 
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PHILHEALTH [The LGOs where the indigent senior citizen 
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resides shall allocate the necessary funds to ensure the 
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enrollment of their indigent senior citizens], in accordance 
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with pertinent laws and regulations. 
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"(3) xxx. 


• 
. . 
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Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. -
All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and 
2 
regulations, or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, 
3 
amended or modified accordingly. 
4 
Sec. 3. 
Effectivity. -
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
5 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
mksbc