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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES)
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE}
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 6980

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Filipino citizens who are sixty (60) years old are automatically considered
seniors. Most of them, though, are still mentally alert, physically able and productive.
Senior citizens could be likened, as the saying goes, “like wine they mellow with age.”
Even biblical passages acknowledged the value and worth of older men. In Titus 2:
2-3, “older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith and in
steadfastness.” Interestingly, in Psalm 92:14, “they still bear fruit in old age; they are even full
of sap and green.”

Inspired by these sayings, not to mention that the experiences of senior
citizens accumulated through their work and experts in specialized fields can still be
harnessed for productive purposes that enable them to contribute to the economic
well-being of the community they serve and ultimately the country, this bill is being
introduced. This bill also aims to address the great number of senior citizens who
remained unemployed and idle, since given their obnoxious situation, they will
deteriorate faster and become burdens to their family and the community.

In the barangay councils, the youth are properly represented, in the municipal,
city councils and provincial boards, the youth, league of barangays, women,
agricultural or industrial workers, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, or
disabled persons are all given the opportunities to become members of the local
government units specifically excluding the senior citizens sectors.



The role of senior citizens in every election is important, their collective
participation wields power and strength. The political activity of senior citizens is a
great model of a healthy democracy claimed by Andrea Campbell, an American
political analyst.

This bill is geared towards emphasizing the important role of older persons
in nation-building and to raise and address issues concerning their sector and in
response to the state’s policy of giving full support to the improvement of the total
well-being of the elderly and their full participation in society, considering that senior
citizens are integral part of Philippine society.

Undoubtedly, the wealth of knowledge, skills, wisdom and enviable
experiences of senior citizens could contribute to the formulation and enactment of
appropriate legislation that will benefit the country as a whole by making them
members of the local government units.

‘The potential of older persons is a powerful basis for future development.
‘This enables society to rely increasingly on the skills, experience and wisdom of older
persons, not only to take the lead in their own betterment and also to participate
actively in that of society as a whole (Article 10, Political Declaration, 2 World Assembly
on Ageing, Madrid, Spain, 2002).

‘The expectations of older persons and the economic needs of society demand
that older persons be able to participate in the political life of their society.

Approval of this bill is most earnestly so

FRAN G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List


REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 0980

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

AN ACT
PROVIDING REPRESENTATION OF SENIOR CITIZENS IN
THE DIFFERENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS
AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT
7160, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT
CODE OF 1991 AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Section 1. This Act shall be known as “Senior Citizens in Local
Government Units Act.”

Section 2. Section 390, Chapter 4. — The Sangguniang Barangay of the Local
Government Code of 1991 shall be amended and read as follows:

“SEC. 390. Composition. —The sangeuniang barangay, the
legislative body of the barangay, shall be composed of the punong
barangay as presiding officer, and the seven (7) regular sangguniang
barangay members elected at large and the sangguniang kabataan
chairman AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
SENIOR CITIZENS SECTOR TO BE APPOINTED
BY HEAD OF OSCA OF THE CONCERNED
BARANGAY FROM THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF VARIOUS SENIOR CITIZENS
ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE BARANGAY, as

members.”


Section 3. Representative from the senior citizens sector shall have the same
duties, powers, benefits and responsibilities as a regular member of the sangguniang
barangay.

Section 4. Section 446, Article Three, Sangguniang Bayan of the Local Government
Code of 1991 shall be amended and read as follows:

“SEC. 446. Composition. — (a) The sangguniang bayan, the
legislative body of the municipality, shall be composed of the
municipal vice-mayor asthe presiding officer, the regular

sangguniang bayan members, the president of the municipal
chapter of the liga mg mga barangay, the president of the
pambayang pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan, and the
sectoral representatives, as members,

(b) In addition thereto, there shall be FOUR (4)
sectoral representatives: one (1) from the women; and as shall be
determined by the sangguniang concerned within ninety (90) days
prior to the bolding of local elections, one (1) from the agricultural or
industrial workers, and one (1) from other sectors, including the
urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, or disabled persons
AND ONE (1) FROM THE SENIOR CITIZENS
SECTOR TO BE APPOINTED BY HEAD OF OSCA
OF THE CONCERNED MUNICIPALITY FROM
THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF VARIOUS
SENIOR CITIZENS ORGANIZATIONS
WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY.

(c) The regular members of the sangguniang bayan and the
sectoral representatives shall be elected OR APPOINTED in the
‘manner as may be provided for by law.”

Section 5. Representative from the senior citizens sector shall have the same
duties, powers, benefits and responsibilities as a regular member of the sangguniang
bayan.

Section 6. Section 457, Article Three. — Sangguniang Panglungsod
of the Local Government Code of 1991 shall be amended and read as follows:

“Section 457. Composition. - (a) The —sangguniang
panlungsod, the legislative body of the city, shall be
composed of the city vice-mayor as presiding officer, the


regular sangguniang members, the president of the city chapter of the
liga ng mga barangay, the president of the panlungsod na
pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan, and the sectoral
representatives, as members.

(b) In addition thereto, there shall be FOUR (A) sectoral
representatives: one (1) from the women; and as shall be
determined by the sanggunian concerned within ninety (90) days
prior to the bolding of the local elections, one (1) from agricultural
or industrial workers; one

(1) from the otber sectors, including the urban poor, indigenous
cultural communities, or disabled persons AND ONE (1)
FROM SENIOR CITIZENS SECTOR TO BE
APPOINTED BY HEAD OF OSCA OF THE
CONCERNED CITY FROM — THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF VARIOUS SENIOR
CITIZENS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE
CITY.

(c) The regular members of the sangguniang panlungsod and
the sectoral representatives shall be elected OR APPOINTED in
the manner as may be provided for by law.”

Section 7. Representative from the senior citizens sector shall have the same
duties, powers, benefits and responsibilities as a regular member of the sangguniang
panlungsod.

Section 8. Section 467, Article Three, The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the
Local Government Code of 1991 shall be amended and read as follows:

“SEC. 467. Composition. - (a) The — sangguniang
panlalawigan, the legislative body of the province, shall be
composed of the provincial vice-governor as presiding officer, the
regular sanggunian members, the president of the provincial
chapter of the liga ng mga barangay, the president of the
panlalawigang pederasyon ng mga sangguniang kabataan, the
president of the provincial federation of sangguniang members
of municipalities and component cities and the sectoral
representatives, as members.


()) In addition thereto, there shall be FOUR (4)
sectoral representatives: one (1) from the women; and as shall be
determined by the sanggunian concerned within ninety (90)

days prior to the holding of the local elections, one (1) from the
agricultural or industrial workers; one (1) from other sectors
including the urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, or
disabled persons AND ONE (1) FROM THE SENIOR
CITIZENS SECTOR TO BE APPOINTED BY
REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
SENIOR CITIZENS COMMISSION OF THE
CONCERNED REGION FROM THE
RECOMMENDATIONS OF VARIOUS SENIOR
CITIZENS ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN THE
REGION.”

() The regular members ofthe —_sangguniang
panlalawigan and the sectoral representatives shall be elected OR
APPOINTED in the manner as may be provided for by law.”

Section 9. Representative from the senior citizens sector shall have the same
duties, powers, benefits and responsibilities as a regular member of the sangguniang

panlalawigan.

Section 10. ‘The qualifications of a representative from the senior citizens
sector to the local government units are:

a.
b.
cs
d.

e

Must be a Filipino citizen;

Must be a senior citizen as defined by law;

Must be a registered voter;

Must be a bona fide member of a senior citizen organization for at
least six (6) months preceding the day of his/her appointment;
His/her senior citizen organization must be registered and
recognized by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and the
Barangay of the place where he/she is being appointed;

. Must have a good moral character;
|. Must not be convicted of any crime punishable by more than one

(1) year of imprisonment and/or fine equivalent to One Thousand
(P1,000.00) pesos.


5

Section 11. The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and the Barangay shall
not refuse registration and recognition of senior citizens organization for any
political reason. Neither would they impose difficult/technical and capricious
requirements in giving said recognition. Otherwise, this may be a ground for their
removal in office.

Section 12. Within six (6) months from approval of this Act, the Commission
on Elections, in consultation with the National Senior Citizens Commission, the
Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, is tasked of drafting and formulating Rules and
Regulations implementing the procedures in appointing representative from the
senior citizens sector to local government units.

Section 13. All laws, dectees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts
thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

Section 14. ‘This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,


is)

Section 11. The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs and the Barangay shall
not refuse registration and recognition of senior citizens organization for any
political reason. Neither would they impose difficult/technical and capricious
requirements in giving said recognition. Otherwise, this may be a ground for their
removal in office.

Section 12. Within six (6) months from approval of this Act, the Commission
on Elections, in consultation with the National Senior Citizens Commission, the
Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Social
Welfare and Development, is tasked of drafting and formulating Rules and
Regulations implementing the procedures in appointing representative from the
senior citizens sector to local government units.

Section 13. All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts
thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or
modified accordingly.

Section 14. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,