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

__ First Regular Session

2815

4
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representatives
HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR. and MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING

AN ACT
GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO FILIPINO CENTENARIANS,
RECOGNIZING OCTOGENARIANS AND NONAGENARIANS, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘CENTENARIANS ACT
OF 2016"

EXPLANATORY NOTE

No less than our fundamental law enshrines the care for older people. This filial
responsibility is entrusted to the family, which has the primary duty to care for its elderly
members, while the State may also do so through just programs of social security. In 2016,
Congress passed Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarians Act, which honors our senior
citizens by granting them a cash gift amounting to one hundred thousand pesos ( Php
100,000.00) upon reaching the age of 100.

Unfortunately, not many Filipinos live up to this age. Data from the World Bank pits
the average life expectancy of a Filipino citizen at around 67 years old.!

In line with the policy of the Centenarians Act of 2016 to reward the wisdom and
longevity of our elders, the following bill seeks to expand and extend to more of our elders the
benefits provided by the Centenarians Act. Our proposed amendment would also allow
‘octogenarians and nonagenarians to benefit from assistance provided by the law.

We hope that by expanding the coverage of the Centenarians Act of 2016, we more

aptly honor the invaluable contribution and sociocultural imprint of our elders to our
communities, both in this generation and the next.

+ ttps://data, worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.MA IN?locations=PH


This bill was previously filed during the 18" Congress and was approved on Third
Reading. In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

HORACIO PAUAN!
2™ District of Sultan Kudarat



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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
ia 2815

HOUSE BILL NO, —"

Introduced by Representatives
HORACIO P. SUANSING, JR. and MIKAELA ANGELA B. SUANSING

AN ACT
GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO FILIPINO CENTENARIANS,
RECOGNIZING OCTOGENARIANS AND NONAGENARIANS, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘CENTENARIANS ACT
OF 2016”

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. 10868, otherwise known as the Centenarians
Act of 2016 is hereby amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 2. Benefits for Centenarians. - All Filipinos who reach the age of one bundred
(100) years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with:

a) A letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines congratulating the
celebrant on one’s longevity;

b) A Centenarian Gift in the amount of one hundred thousand- pesos
(P100,000.00); and

¢) All Filipino Ceatenarians who reach the age of one hundred and one (101) years
old shall receive a cash gift in the amount of one million pesos (P 1,000,000.00)
on their birthday.

SECTION 2. — A new section denominated as Section 3 of the same Act is added to read as
follows:

“Sec. 3. Benefits for Octogenarians and Nonagenarians. - All Filipinos who reach the
age of eighty (80), eighty-five (85), ninety (90) and ninety-five (95) years old shall also


receive a letter of felicitation from the President and a cash gift of twenty-five thousand
pesos (P 25,000.00).

SECTION 3. - Sections 3 and 4 of the same Act are renumbered as Sections 4 and 5,
respectively.

SECTION 4. — A new section denominated as Section 6 of the same Act is added to read as
follows:

“Sec. 6. Lead Agency. - The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) shall
implement the provisions of this Act.”

SECTION 5. — Section 5 of the same Act is renumbered as Section 7 and amended to read as
follows:

“Sec. 7. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act
shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.”

SECTION 6. — Section 6 of the same Act is renumbered as Section 8 and amended to read as
follows:

“Sec 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within thirty (30) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Chairperson of the NCSC shall, in consultation with the
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, the Secretary of Interior and Local
Government, the Secretary of Health, the Executive Director of the Commission on
Filipino Overseas, and the Undersecretary of the Philippine Statistics Office,
promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this
Act.”

SECTION 7. Sections 7 and 8 of the same Act are renumbered as Sections 9 and 10,
respectively.

SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, and proclamations,
rules, and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended,
or modified accordingly.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected shall remain in full force and
effect.

SECTION 10. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,