Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon Gty
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
S.HOUSEBILLNo.9130
Introduced by REP. RUWEL PETER S. GONZAGA
EXPLANATORY NOTE
ln the recent workshop of National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) together
with the World Health Organization (WHO), as of July 2023, NCSC has registered 2,274,531
senior citizens aged 60 to 100 years old across the country. Data estimates the proportion
of Filipinos aged 60 and  above will  increase from 7.4 percent in 2015 to  11`4 percent by
2030 and  15.9 percent by 2045.
However,  due to the vulnerability of our Senior Citizens who  are  prone to  illness
and  medical  condition,  almost  59-62%  of  their  income  or  pension  is  allotted  to  their
health expenses.    The remaining  percentage are for the continuity of expenses on their
everyday  lives.  Data  gathered  only  30%  of  our  senior  citizens  in  the  country  receive
pension and with their ballooning  population, it is somehow alarming.   Facts shows that
the economic condition of our country varies also the inflation rate which affect not only
our economic development but also our citizens primarily our senior citizens.
As defined by Republic Act No. 9994, any resident citizen of the Philippines at least
sixty (60) years old is referred to as Senior Citizen and shall grant additional benefits and
privileges such as Social  Pension. This could  help the elderlies who are frail, sickly or with
disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation, or financial
assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs and necessities.
This  bill  seeks  the  government  to  take  responsibility  in  protecting  and  giving
mandatory social pension for all Filipino senior citizens further amending Republic Act No.
7432,  as  amended  by  Republic Act 9257,  Republic Act  No.  9994,  and  Republic Act.  No.
11916.
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Republic of the Philippi`nes
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second  Regular Session
•SHOUSEBiLLNo.9130
ITttrodueed fry REP. RUVlfEL PETER S. GONZAG-A
AN ACT GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR CITIZENS,  FURTHER
AMENDING  REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9257,
REPuB[lc ACT NO`. 9994, AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1+9t6, AND APPROPRl=ATIN6
FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted  by the  Senate and  House of Representatives of the  Phittppines  in
Congress assembled:
SECTION  1`. S#orf TI.ffe: -This Act shall be known as the` "Universal  Social  Pension for
Senior Citizens Act."
SECTION 2. ur)(.I/ersaf Sociof Pens(.on. -Section 5(h) paragraph (1 ) of Republic Act (RA)
No. 7432,  as amended  by RA 9257, 9994 and  11916,  is  hereby further amended  to  read
as follows:
"SEC. 5. Govemmenf Ass[.sfonce. -The government shall provide the following:
"(h) Additional Government Assistance
"(1)  MANDATORY Social  Pension
"[indigent]  ALL  senior  citizens   REGARDLESS  OF   FINANCIAL  STATUS  OR
ECONOMIC     BRAcl(ET,     uroN     REACHING     THE    AGE    OF    60,     shall     be
AtryTOMATl€AIAA/  entitled  TO  RECEIVE  A  MONTHry  SOCIAL  PENSION.-  [toi
monthly  stipend  amounting  to  not  less  than  One  thousand  pesos  (P1,000.00)  to
augment the doily subsistence and other medical  nccds of senior citizens.I
''THE MANDATORY SOCIAL PENSION SHALL AMOUNT TO NO LESS THAN
ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1.000.00] AT THE FIRST YEAR OF IMPLEMENTATION
AND   SHALL   INCREASE   TO   NO'  MORE   THAN   TI+REE`  Tl+OuSAND   PESOS
{P3,000.00)  lN  TI+E  SLJCCEEDII\lG  YEARS,  AS  TIIIE  BLJDGET  WILL  ALLO\M  T0
suproRT THE DAILy suBsisTENCE AND MEDlcAL NEEDs OF sENioR clTizENs.


"pRioRITy sHA±L BE GurEN -Fo INDIGENT SENIOR cITizENs AND Ti+OSE
WHOARECURRENTLYNNOTRECEIVINGANYPENSION.
"UPON  REACIllNG  TllE  TllREE  TIIOuSAND  PESOS  {P3,000)  LIMIT  THE
MANDAIOR¥   SOCIAL   PENSJohL   Sl+AIL   BE   SuBJECT   TO   A   REVIEW   81¥
CONGRESS.  IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DSWD.
"THE  DSWD  SHALL  ROSTER  INDIVIDUALS  THAT  ARE  ELIGIBLE  FOR THE
MONTHLY  `SOCIAL   PENSION   BASED   ON.  A  CENTJIAL   DATABASE   WIJICH
INCLUDES THE CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING AND A COMPILATION
OF  TIIE  BENEFICIARIES  OF  ALL  PENSION  PROVIDERS.    TllE  SSS,  GSIS.  PGMC
AND OTHER PENSION  PROVIDERS SHALL PROVIDE THE  DSWD WITH ACCESS
TO THEIR ROSTER OF BENEFICIARIES EVERY MONTH  FOR THIS PURPOSE.  THE
PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY WILL    LIKEWISE    PROVIDE    THE    DSWD
wiTH TiMELy AccEss TO pERTiNENT DATA roR THls puRpOsE.
`xxx„
SECTION. 3. fomi-and Afumer of flnyment.  - The  monthly stipend- shall  be
released  to  target  beneficiaries  either  in  cash,  direct  remittance,  electronic  transfer,  or
other modes of delivery, whichever is  more practical  and  acceptable to the  beneficiary,
ensuring  its  release  in  the  most expeditious  and  efficient  manner, through  any services
offered by the Land  Bank of the Philippines.
Any  senior  citizen  may  present  their  National  Identification  Card  to  claim  their
monthly mandatory social pension.
S-ECTION 4-.  rmwhrer of Feesi - Any transacti-on or service-fee- arising  from the
engagement of a service provider for electronic transfer, or other modes of delivery which
service fees for the release of the monthly stipends and other forms of assistance to target
beneficiaries shall not be charged against the target beneficiaries.
SECTION  5.  Tm7isfer Of rt7r7ctforrs from- the ErsMO:  -  TheJ implementation,
distribution, and management of the social pension for senior citizens shall, in accordance
with  Section  11  of  Republic  Act  No.  7742,  as  amended  by  Republic  Act  No.11350,  be
transferred from the DSWD to the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) within
a period not exceeding two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act.
The  absorption  or transfer of regular or  permanent and  other employees of the
affected offices and programs of DSWD shall be done in accordance with applicable laws,
including civil service laws,  rules, and  regulations and subject to the approval of DBM.
SECTI0Nr 6. £jsf of Be»Oficia7.I.es. -The DSWD, and th-ereafter upon fu-ll transfer
of  its  functions  and  programs  to  the  NCSC,  with  the  assistance  of  the  PSA  through
community-based    monitoring   system   established    under   Republic   Act   No.    11315,
otherwise  known  as  the  "Community-Based  Monitoring  System  Act,"  and  validation  by
the LGUs, the list of target beneficiaries shall be updated and validated annually.
SECTION 7. Wajyer of Pen5i.on. - Any senior citizen may opt not to receive the
mandatory  social  pension.  Any senior  citizen  who  does  not  claim  within  forty-five  (45)
days  are  considered   to   have  opted   out  to   receive  the   mandatory  social   pension.


Unclaimed    mandatory   pension   fund    shall    be    preserved    by   the    DSWD   for   the
implementation of this Act.
SECTION 8. undisbursed Fund. -Undisbursed funds shall not be reverted to the
National Treasury and shall be used to augment appropriation for the following year.
SECTION 9. Apprapriarl.ons. -The mandatory social pension within a period not
exceeding two (2) years from the implementation of this Act shall be added to the regular
appropriation  of the  DSWD  budget  in  the  General  Appropriations  Act.  Thereafter,  the
regular appropriation for the monthly social pension for senior citizens shall  be included
in the budget of the NCSC.
SECTION  10. /mplemenfl.ng Rwles and #egulari.ons. -Within thirty (30)  days
from the effectivity of this Act, the  Chairperson of the  NCSC  shall  formulate and  adopt
amendments to the existing rules and  regulations implementing  Republic Act No.11916
to  carry out the  objectives  of this  Act,  in  consultation  with  the  Departments  of Social
Welfare  and   Development  (DSWD),   Budget  and   Management  and   other  concerned
government    agencies,    as    well    as    nongovernment    organizations    and    people's
organizations of senior citizens duly accredited  by the DSWD,  promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SECTION  11. Separabl.lity Clause.   If any provision of this Act is declared invalid
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and
effect.
SECTION  12. Rapcaling Clouse.   All  laws, decrees,  orders,  rules, and  regulations
or  parts  thereof  inconsistent with  this Act  are  hereby  repealed,  amended,  or  modified
accordingly.
SECTION   13.  Effectl.wfty.    This  Act  shall  take  effect  fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,