Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4057

Introduced by HON. JOSEPHINE VERONIQUE “Jaye” R. LACSON - NOEL
Malabon City, Lone District

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The State recognises the vital role of everyone towards nation-building, specially
those who once dedicated their time, effort and resources to further improve and develop the so-
cio-economic state of our country.

Ninety percent (90%) of our population continues to work hard for a living, the
ten percent (10%) is considered to be frail, sickly and immobilised due to old age.

The State is mandated to design programs for social security! and promote social
justice in all phases of national development2. Further, the State is mandated to adopt an integrat-
ed and comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential
goods, health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. There shall
be priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children. The
State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers®

According to the 2018 statement of Commission on Population (POPCOM)‘,
there are more than eight million (8,000,000) Filipinos over sixty (60) or about 8.2% of our one
hundred one million (101,000,000) estimated total population based on the recent release of the
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) as of July 20195

1 ARTICLE XY; Section 4.1987 Constitution
2 ARTICLE I, Section 10, 1987 Constitution

3 ARTICLE NII, Section 11. 1987 Constitution

4 hnaps://news.abs-cbn.com /news/01/03/18philippines-moving-towand-aging-population-popcom
5 huups://psa.gow ph population-and-housing node 138311


In 1992, Republic Act No. 7432 was enforced to law in order to recognise the
contribution of senior citizens to nation building by granting them benefits and special privileges.
In 2004, it was amended to include more non-monetary benefits, tax holidays, among others. In
2010, it was further amended to include the social pension benefit amounting to five hundred pe-
sos (P500) per month to qualified beneficiaries.

Unfortunately, with the increasing value of our basic commodities and the im-
provement of medicinal requirements among medical institutions for our elders, the above-men-
tioned Republic Act is no longer attuned to our present socioeconomic state. While there have
been numerous efforts to further expand the programs for our seniors, whether through NGOs or
other private institutions, there are still so much to be done.

It is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the state is

mandated to design programs for social security for them

Sad as it may sound, 21.6% of our population lives below the national poverty
line. In a publication issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority last April 2019, in the first
semester of 2018, a family of five needed no less than PhP 7,337, on average, to meet the fami-
ly’s basic food needs for a month. This amount is the food threshold. On the other hand, no less
than PhP 10,481, on average, was needed to meet both basic food and non-food needs of a family
of five in a month. This amount is the poverty threshold. These are 10.9 percent higher than the
food and poverty thresholds from the first semester of 2015.7

This simply shows how inadequate the present social pension is. Filipino families
can barely afford their daily subsistence, more so, the wholistic care for our elders as mandate by

the Constitution and our conscience.

IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly
sought. 4

JOSEPHINE VERONIQUE “Jaye” R. LACSON - NOEL

6 hnps:/www.adb org countries philippines poverty
7 hatps:/www.adb.org/countries philippines poverty


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

House Bill No.___ 4057

Introduced by HON. JOSEPHINE VERONIQUE “Jaye” R. LACSON - NOEL
Malabon City, Lone District

AN ACT INCREASING
THE MONTHLY SOCIAL PENSION OF SENIOR CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 'EXPAND-
ED SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 2010°

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

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act
No. 9257, further amended by Republic Act No. 9994 , otherwise known as the the “Expanded

Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” is further amended to hereby read as follows:

SEC. 2. Definition of terms. ~ For purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as fol-
lows
Xxx

[*(h) Indigent senior citizen, refers to any elderly who is frail, sickly or with disability,
and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation or financial as-
sistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs, as determined by the De-
partment of Social Welfare and development (DSWD) in consultation with the National

Coordinating and Monitoring Board.”|

SECTION 2. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act
No. 9257, further amended by Republic Act No. 9994 , otherwise known as the the “Expanded
Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” is further amended to hereby read as follows:


“SEC. 5. Government Assistance. ~ The government shall provide the following:
Xxx

“(h) Additional Government Assistance

“(1) Social Pension

tadigent ALL senior citizens WITHOUT PENSION OR WHO ARE RECEIVING
PENSION OF FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000) AND BELOW FROM THE
GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYTEM (GSIS), SOCIAL SECURI-
TY SYSTME (SSS) AND PENSION AND GRATUITY MANAGEMENT CEN-
TER (PGMC) shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to Five-hundred-pe-
ses-PhpS00-09} ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P1,500) to aug-
ment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens, subject to a re-

view every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD.

SECTION 3. Appropriations. - The Department of Social Welfare and Develop-
ment, after it conducts a thorough study and targeting of all the senior citizens as beneficiaries,
shall recommend an estimated amount to accommodate more poor and abandoned elderlies. An
initial amount of one billion pesos (P1,000,000,000) shall be released by the government to sup-
port the provisions of this act

SECTION 3. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall
remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive
orders, issuances, presidential proclamations, rules and regulations or parts thereof which are
contrary to and inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or mod-
ified accordingly.

SECTION 5. Effectivity. - This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
complete publication either in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of general cir-

culation.

Approved,