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Republic of the Philippines ZN
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES a
Quezon City a
TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 323

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR CITIZENS, AMENDING
FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED “AN
ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO NATION
BUILDING, GRANT BENEFITS AND SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article II, Section 9 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares 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."

Article XV, Section 4 provides 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.”

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 2020 Census of
Population and Housing (2020 CPH), senior citizens or those aged 60 years old and
over made up 9.3% (166,678 individuals) of the household population in 2020,
higher than the 7.4% (132,893 individuals) recorded in 2015. There were more
females (54.4%) than males (45.6%) among the senior citizens in 2020. The same
trend was observed in 2015.

By the year 2030, the Commission on Population on Development (CPD}
projects that the country’s demographic can already be considered an aging
population with the steady rise of those 60 years old and above.!

The World Bank Group says that “Globally, people above the age of 65
outnumber children under 5 and over two-thirds of them live in less developed
regions of the world. By 2050, there will be 1.25 billion people who are 65 and over
in less developed regions, around 757 million more than in 2020.

Global aging is a triumph of development made possible through rapid
increases in life expectancies and falling fertility. It brings new opportunities but
also challenges for governments, individuals, households, communities, and
economies. Countries need to adapt their social protection and jobs policies and
programs to address these challenges and reap the societal and economic benefits

Philippines may have aging population by 2030 - CPD, Rhodina Villanueva, The Philippine
Star, January 9, 2024
( i

headlines/2024/01/09/:

1 4420/philippine:
) Accessed on 26 May 2025

ay-have-aging-



of aging. Their ability to adapt will determine their future prosperity and social
stability.””

Towards this purpose, it is the objective of this bill to grant universal social
pension to senior citizens in order to maximize their contribution to nation building.

Universal social pension provides security for low-income informal sector
workers and supports a dignified old age for all Filipinos while boosting a wider set
of development outcomes. It ensures that all poor senior citizens will be covered
by the pension program as it leaves no room for targeting error.

Universal social pension facilitates ease and transparency and shields the
elderly from the stigma of being poor. It promotes a sense of dignity of senior
citizens, reduces inequality, and strengthens inclusive growth.

As a form of social protection and economic empowerment measure, this
proposal seeks to help senior citizens in times of financial need amid the soaring
prices of basic commodities in the country.

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

wal MARIE D. MONTES

kababaihan, Kabalikatan para sa Kapakanan
‘at Kaunlaran ng Bayan (4K) Party-list

2 Societal © Aging, | World © Bank = Group, October_ 31, 2022
( iM ydbank.org/en/topic/pensions/brief/societal-aging) Accessed on 26 May
2



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

323

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by: Hon. Iris Marie D. Montes

AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR CITIZENS, AMENDING
FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED “AN
ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO NATION
BUILDING, GRANT BENEFITS AND SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

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

(a) XxX xxx

“(i) Pension Provider refers to any government office or agency, or any private
entity which provides pensions to entitled recipients on the basis of contributions,
gratuity, or as mandated by any governing law or issuance, including the Social
Security System (SSS), the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the
Pension and Gratuity Management Center (PGMC), AMONG OTHERS; and

“(j) UNIVERSAL Social Pension refers to [the] A NON-CONTRIBUTORY MONTHLY
monetary grant from the government to support the daily subsistence and medical

needs of senior citizens [which shall not be less than One thousand pesos
(P1,000.00) per month]”.

SEC. 2. Section 5(h)(1) of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 6. Government Assistance. - The government shall provide the
following:

*(a) xxx
Xxx

“(h) Additional Government Assistance

“(1) [Mandatory] UNIVERSAL Social Pension

(A)Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to

[not less than] AT LEAST One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to augment
the daily subsistence and other medical needs [of senior citizens].


(B)SENIOR CITIZENS WHO ARE PREVIOUSLY NOT CONSIDERED AS INDIGENTS
SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY STIPEND AMOUNTING TO AT LEAST
FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P500.00) UPON THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT:
PROVIDED, THAT WITHIN FIVE (5) YEARS ALL SENIOR CITIZENS SHALL
BE ENTITLED TO A UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION EQUIVALENT TO A
MONTHLY STIPEND OF AT LEAST ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00)
REGARDLESS OF ANY OTHER PENSION BENEFITS THEY MAY RECEIVE
FROM OTHER PENSION PROVIDERS: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT ANY
SENIOR CITIZEN MAY WAIVE THIS UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION.

[The DSWD shall, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and
Management (DBM), in consultation with other stakeholders, review and, when
necessary, adjust the amount of the social pension every two (2) years after the
effectivity of this Act, taking into account the present consumer price index as
published by the PSA and relevant economic indicators, as reported and published
by pertinent government agencies and authorities.| “THE DSWD SHALL, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT (DBM),
AS WELL AS OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, REVIEW AND IF NECESSARY, ADJUST THE
AMOUNT OF UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION EVERY TWO (2) YEARS AFTER THE FULL
IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF
SENIOR CITIZENS AND RELEVANT ECONOMIC INDICATORS, AS REPORTED AND
PUBLISHED BY PERTINENT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES:
PROVIDED, THAT THE SOCIAL PENSION SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT
INITIALLY SPECIFIED IN THIS ACT. THE IMPLEMENTATION, DISTRIBUTION, AND
MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIAL PENSION SHALL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE
DSWD TO THE NATIONAL COMMISSION OF SENIOR CITIZENS (NCSC) WITHIN A
PERIOD NOT EXCEEDING THREE (3) YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT.

xxx

SEC. 3. Appropriations. —The universal social pension for senior citizens shall
be added to the regular appropriations of the DSWD in the general appropriations
act, and thereafter, to the National Commission of Senior Citizens, upon full
transfer of the implementation, distribution, and management of the social pension.

SEC. 4, Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Chairperson of the National Commission of Senior
Citizens 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 other relevant agencies and stakeholders.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts or provisions hereof not affected shall
continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. — Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic
Act Nos. 9257 and 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of
2010”, and Republic Act No. 11916 are hereby amended. All other laws, ordinances,
orders, rules, regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,