EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
)
First Regular Session
)
SEN 
S. No.
*19
ij-«£>n • o( lj)i t. rrtnrp
*19 JUL 17 P5 :46
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
REQUIRING LAND, AIR, AND SEA TRANSPORT PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE 
PRIORITY SEATING FOR THE ELDERLY, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
9257 AND 9994, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EXPANDED SENIOR 
CITIZEN'S ACT OF 2010''
Explanatory Note
"Parang lata ng sarcHna^' is an expression used by commuters to describe the 
cramped conditions of public transport. It is an apt comparison. Every day, millions 
of Filipinos cram themselves on various modes of transportation throughout the day. 
In Metro Manila alone, 13.3 million trips are done through jeepney or bus, 
accounting for 66.7 percent of all trips taken. The MRT-3 carries around 560,0000 
passengers a day, even though it was built for a maximum of 380,000.
Not all commuters bear the brunt of crowds equally. For instance, senior 
citizens comprise one sector commuters which suffers more than most. While no 
data is available on the number of senior citizens who commute, their plight is easily 
imaginable. One would not have to search too hard for stories of /c?/05and /c>/(?5who, 
despite generally being frailer than most, have to face the same cramped conditions 
as everyone else. For them, a vacant seat is brief but sweet respite.
Batas Pambansa Bilang 344, popularly known as the Accessibility Law, 
mandates that posters or stickers shall be used on public conveyances to generate 
public awareness of the rights and needs of persons with disabilities (PWDs). This 
obviously includes the marking of "priority seats" for them. Unfortunately, a similar 
provision is not found in the Expanded Senior Citizens Act (R.A. No. 7432), despite 
having been amended several times.
In fact, the latest iteration of the law (R.A. No. 9994) merely states that "The 
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) shall develop a program 
to assist senior citizens to fully gain access to public transport facilities. It is an 
unfortunate oversight in an otherwise generous and expansive law.


Thus, currently, although there are seats reserved for the elderly in public 
land transportation vehicles, there are no hard rules mandating the reservation and 
designation of priority seating for the elderly in air and sea transportation vehicles. 
This representation has received complaints that in some instances, senior citizens 
are transferred, on the last minute, to seats that are either far away from their 
companions and do not take into account their convenience or health status.
This bill, thus, seeks to provide priority seating for the elderly on jeepneys, 
buses, rail services, and commercial air and sea transport providers. If enacted, this 
measure will ensure that the seats closest to the entrance doors will be reserved for 
the elderly. In addition, elderly citizens cannot be forced to transfer seats on 
commercial air and sea vessels without one (1) week of prior notice.
In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is eagerly sought.
J f  G R - \C E  P O E  . . .  y
/
 
/ m
/


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
S E N AT I 
S. No. 571
011.,.' of II)C 
mlarp
•19 JUL 17 P5 A6
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
RtlLi
AN ACT
REQUIRING LAND, AIR, AND SEA TRANSPORT PROVIDERS TO PROVIDE 
PRIORITY SEATING FOR THE ELDERLY, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THIS 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
9257 AND 9994, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EXPANDED SENIOR 
CITIZEN S ACT OF 2010"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled
1 
Section 1. Short Title. -  This Act shall be known as the "Priority Seating for
2 
the Elderly Act o f 2019".
3 
Sec. 2. Section 5 (f) of Republic Act No. 7432 is hereby further amended to
4 
read as follows:
5 
"SEC. 5. Government Assistance. - x x x
6 
"(a) Employment
7 
"x X X
8 
"(f) PRIORITY SEATING FOR THE ELDERLY- ALL PUBLIC
9 
UTILITIY VEHICLES (PUV), PUBLIC UTILITY BUSES (PUBS),
10 
RAIL TRANSPORT PROVIDERS, AND AIR AND SEA TRANSPORT
11 
PROVIDERS, SHALL RESERVE AND DESIGNATE THE BEST
12 
POSSIBLE SEATS FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AS DETERMINED BY
13 
THE 
DEPARTMENT 
OF TRANSPORTATION 
(DOTR), 
IN
14 
COORDINATION WITH 
THE 
LAND TRANSPORTATION
15 
FRANCHISING 
AND 
REGULATORY 
BOARD 
(LTFRB), 
THE
16 
MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY (MARINA), THE CIVIL
17 
AVIATION AUTHORITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (CAAP), AND
1


1 
THREE 
(3) 
REPRESENTATIVES 
FROM 
REPUTABLE AND
2 
CONCERNED 
CIVIL 
SOCIETY 
ORGANIZATIONS, 
AS
3 
DETERMINED BY THE DOTR.
4 
THE PRIORITY SEATS SHALL BE CLEARLY LABELLED TO
5 
INDICATE THAT PASSENGERS MAY USE THEM BUT MUST
6 
VACATE THEM IF THEY ARE NEEDED BY AN 
ELDERLY
7 
PASSENGER: 
PROVIDED, 
THAT 
PASSENGERS 
WHO ARE
8 
PREGNANT OR DISABLED SHALL BE EXEMPTED FROM THIS
9 
PROVISION.
10 
COMMERCIAL AIR AND SEA TRANSPORT PROVIDERS
11 
SHALL ENSURE THAT PRIORITY SEATS ARE MADE AVAILABLE
12 
TO ELDERLY PASSENGERS DURING THE RESERVATION OF
13 
SEATS. ELDERLY PASSENGERS MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED TO
14 
OTHER SEATS WITHOUT AT LEAST ONE (1) WEEK OF PRIOR
15 
NOTICE.
16 
{The— DcportmGnt—of TransportatioB— ood— Communications
18 
aeeess-to put)jie-tf anGport facilities.]
19 
"(g) Incentive for Foster Care
20 
X X X "
21 
Sec. 3. Section 10 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, is hereby further
22 
amended to read as follows:
23 
"Sec. 10. Penalties.- x x x
24 
"(a) XXX
25 
"X X X
26 
"ANY LAND TRANSPORT DRIVER OR OPERATOR WHO
27 
FAILS TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 5(F) OF THIS ACT SHALL,
28 
UPON CONVICTION, BE IMPRISONED FOR TWO (2) MONTHS
29 
TO ONE (1) YEAR OR PAY A FINE OF FIVE THOUSAND PESOS
30 
(PHP 5,000) TO 
TEN THOUSAND 
PESOS (PHP 
10,000),
31 
WITHOUT 
PREJUDICE 
TO 
THE 
IMPOSITION 
OF


1 
ADMINSTRATVE 
SANCTIONS 
SUCH 
AS 
SUSPENSION 
OR
2 
REVOCATION OF THEIR FRANCHISE;
3 
"ANY RAIL TRANSPORT OPERATOR WHO FAILS TO
4 
COMPLY WITH 
SECTION 
5(F) THIS ACT SHALL, 
UPON
5 
CONVICTION, BE IMPRISONED FOR FIVE (5) MONTHS TO
6 
TWO (2) YEARS OR PAY A FINE OF THIRTY THOUSAND PESOS
7 
(PHP 30,000) TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (PHP 50,000);
8 
ANY COMMERCIAL AIR OR SEA TRANSPORT PROVIDER
9 
WHO FAILS TO COMPLY WITH SECTION 5(F) THIS ACT SHALL,
10 
UPON CONVICTION, BE IMPRISONED FOR FIVE (5) TO TEN
11 
(10) YEARS OR PAY A FINE OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND
12 
PESOS (PHP 100,000) TO 
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS
13 
(PHP 500,000).
14 
XX x"
15 
Sec. 4. Appropriations. -  Such funds necessary to carry out the provisions of
16 
this Act shall be included in annual General Appropriations Act.
17 
Sec. 5. Impiementing Rules and Regulations. -  The DOTR, in coordination
18 
with the LTFRB, MARINA, CAAP, and three (3) representatives from reputable and
19 
concerned civil society organizations, as determined by the DOTR, shall promulgate
20 
the implementing rules and regulations of this Act within sixty (60) days from its
21 
effectivity.
22 
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
23 
rules and regulations, and other issuances, or parts thereof which are inconsistent
24 
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
25 
accordingly.
26 
Sec. 7. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
27 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,