EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
S. No. 
160
'19 JUL -2 All '52
RECtlVED i)Vt
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO ALL SENIOR CITIZENS AGED 65 
YEARS OLD AND ABOVE, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO 
7432, AS AMENDED
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In the Philippines, and in many countries around the world growing old is 
becoming one of the biggest economic challenges facing both the individual and society, 
as a whole. Based on the population projection of the Philippine Statistics Authority, the 
number of Filipinos over the age of 60 is set to triple in the next 30 years from 7.6 
million in 2015 to 22.6 million in 2045.1 As the population continues to age, the matter 
of securing a steady income to support the well-being of older persons becomes more 
relevant in addressing issues of poverty and ineguality. Providing social protection for 
the elderly is among the universally accepted and proven approaches in reducing 
incidence of poverty and in narrowing the equality gap. Pensions also strengthen 
inclusive growth by spreading and sharing the financial demands of the aging 
population across society. The social pension currently received by our indigent senior 
citizens mitigates the financial difficulties they suffer on a daily basis by supplementing 
their budget for food and medication for their declining health. However, its overall 
impact is limited by how the pension scheme is designed by excluding a large portion of 
vulnerable elderly, and by the measly amount of five hundred pesos the beneficiaries 
receive monthly.
A universal social pension for the elderly would likewise narrow the pension 
coverage gap. Our neighbors in the region, such as Thailand, Brunei, Timor-Leste and 
Vietnam are currently implementing similar tax-financed schemes that cover all citizens 
of a specified age. Apart from strengthening the development of our existing pension 
system and narrowing the gap in our pension coverage, there are other advantages to a 
universal pension approach compared to the means-tested system we are currently 
using. First, it is one of the simplest and most effective ways to guarantee that every 
senior citizen receives a pension. Without much room for exclusion errors, it ensures 
that all poor senior citizens will be covered. Second, it will provide substantial security 
for low-income earners in the informal sector. Third, since the criteria for eligibility is
Philippine Statistics Authority, "2010 Census-Based Population Projections in Collaboration with the Inter- 
Agency Group on Population Projections” .


simple and straightforward, it reduces instances of corruption and clientelistic practices. 
Fourth, as the pension shall be viewed as a right rather than a dole-out, the dignity of 
the recipients is preserved. It is also a recognition of our senior citizens' life-long 
contributions to society by way of the taxes they have paid, their productive labor, and 
their efforts in raising the generations of Filipinos that came after them. Fifth, its 
universality shall gather a broad base of support not only from senior citizens but from 
other sectors as well. And sixth, the simple and uncomplicated criteria in considering 
eligibility make it cheaper to implement as administrative costs are lower.
A study on aging in the Philippines conducted by the University of the Philippines 
Population Institute revealed that over half of senior citizens live in households that 
have difficulty in meeting expenses. Another 40% say that their households have "just 
enough to pay for expenses’.2 Under such circumstances, pensions are often used in 
augmenting household incomes and in developing the skills of the younger generation. 
Studies also show that universal pensions contribute to other development outcomes 
such as lowering the number of child workers, increasing school enrolment, and 
encouraging families to finance livelihood activities.3
Growing old comes with a variety of challenges, from physical to economic. And 
growing old in a country where poverty is prevalent, these challenges not only reinforce 
each other but are also glaringly magnified. By providing income security in the form of 
universal pension for senior citizens, we not only assist them with their basic needs such 
as food and health, and help prop-up low income families, it also becomes a tool to 
share the proceeds of growth across all of society. As a way of showing our gratitude to 
our lolos and lolas, it is but right for succeeding generations to ensure that they grow 
old with honor and dignity. And for these, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
RISA HONTIVEROS ^
 
Senator
2 Cruz, Grace, Josefina Natividad, Melissa Gonzales, and Yasuhiko Saito. "Aging in the Philippines:
Findings from the 2017 Philippine Study on Aging". Quezon City: University o f the Philippines Population 
Institute, 2016.
Horn, David, Charles Knox-Vydmanov, and Aura Sevilla. 'The Feasibility o f a Universal Social Pension in 
the Philippines". Quezon City: Coalition o f Services for the Elderly, and HelpAge International, 2017


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No.
))
)
SENATE
160
bi ;;)• r i.riii j*
'19 JUL -2 An :52
RECEiV£r’. H'-___ ^
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS
AN ACT
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO ALL SENIOR CITIZENS AGED 
65 YEARS OLD AND ABOVE, AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT 
NO. 7432, AS AMENDED
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Lingap Para kay Lolo 
at Lola Act".
Sec. 2. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 
9257, further 4 amended by Republic Act No. 9994, otherwise known as the 
"Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010" 5 , is hereby further amended to read as 
follows:
"Sec. 2. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, these terms 
are defined 8 as follows:
XXX
XXX
XXX
"(i) SOCIAL PENSION REFERS TO THE MONTHLY STIPEND OR 
MONETARY 
GRANT 
FROM 
THE 
GOVERNMENT 
TO 
AUGMENT 
THE 
DAILY 
SUBSISTENCE AND OTHER MEDICAL NEEDS OF SENIOR CITIZENS WHICH SHALL 
NOT BE LESS THAN ONE THOUSAND PESOS (plOOO.OO) PER MONTH.
Sec. 3. Section 5 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows:
XXX
XXX
XXX
"(h) Additional Government Assistance
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"(1) Social Pension
"[Indigent] ALL senior citizens 65 YEARS OLD AND ABOVE SHALL 
BE ENTITLE TO A MONTHLY SOCIAL PENSION OF AT LEAST 
ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P H P l,0 0 0 .0 0 ) to augment the daily 
subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens.
INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS AGED SIXTY YEARS OLD TO 
SIXTY FOUR YEARS OLD SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY 
SOCIAL 
PENSION 
OF AT LEAST ONE THOUSAND 
PESOS 
(P H P l/0 0 0 .0 0 ) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical 
needs of senior citizens.
The amount of social pension SHALL BE REVIEWED AND, when 
necessary, ADJUSTED OR INCREASED BY THE DSWD ever/ two 
years after the effectivity of this act, in consultation with the
DEPARTMENT OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT (DBM ) AND 
OTHER RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT 
THE VARIOUS NEEDS OF SENIOR CITIZENS, THE NATIONAL 
INFLATION 
RATE, 
AND 
OTHER 
RELEVANT 
ECONOMIC 
INDICATORS, as reported and published by the pertinent government 
agencies or authorities: PROVIDED, THAT THE SOCIAL PENSION 
SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT IN IT IA LLY  SPECIFIED 
IN  THIS ACT.
FIVE YEARS AFTER THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT, ALL 
SENIOR CITIZENS SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A MONTHLY SOCIAL 
PENSION AT THE PREVAILING RATE, W HICH SHALL NOT BE 
LESS THAN ONE THOUSAND P E S 0 S (P H P I,0 00.0 0) to augment
the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens.
XXX
XXX
XXX
Sec. 4. Separability Clause -  If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full 
force and effect.
Sec. 5. Repeating Clause -  All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules and 
regulations contrary to or inconsistent 22 with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 6. 
Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or 25 in any newspaper of the general circulation.
Approved,