Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1421 
Introduced by HON. ROMERO FEDERICO “MIRO” QUIMBO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were approximately 9.2 
million Filipinos aged 60 and above in 2020. Senior citizens are more prone to illness 
and medical expenses, increasing their vulnerability to poverty. In 2018, the PSA's 
National Health Accounts reported that health spending for senior citizens 
amounted to P171.55 billion, or 22% of the P779.22 billion in health expenditures in 
2018. 59% of their expenses were out of pocket. Financially, only around 30 percent 
of senior citizens in the country receive pensions based on their work history, 
primarily through SSS or GSIS benefits. However, many older adults remain active 
in society by managing their lives, businesses, homes, and family while also 
participating in volunteering despite being unpaid (Fernández-Ballesteros et al., 
2011). 
Evidently, there is a pressing need for our government to take further steps in 
securing social protection for our senior citizens, especially since our population is 
expected to continue aging in the coming years. A study by the Philippine Institute 
for Development Studies estimates that the proportion of Filipinos aged 60 and 
above will increase from 7.4 percent in 2015 to 11.4 percent by 2030 and 15.9 percent 
by 2045. 
This bill seeks to render eligibility for social pension as mandatory for all Filipino 
senior citizens. Currently, under Republic Act No. 9994, also known as the 
Expanded Senior Citizens Act, only indigent senior citizens are eligible for this 
social pension. Through a measure where all senior citizens are entitled to a 
July 7, 2025
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mandatory social pension, their basic level of income security is ensured and thus 
improving their quality of life. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. ROMERO FEDERICO “MIRO” QUIMBO 
Representative 
           Second District, Marikina City  


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Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Twentieth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 1421 
Introduced by HON. ROMERO FEDERICO “MIRO” QUIMBO 
AN ACT GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR 
CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS 
AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9257, REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994, AND 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11916, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in the 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Universal Social    
Pension for Senior Citizens Act."  
SECTION 2. Universal Social Pension. — Section 5(h) paragraph (1) of Republic 
Act (RA) No. 7432, as amended by RA 9257, 9994, and 11916, is hereby further 
amended to read as follows: 
   "SEC. 5. Government Assistance. - The government shall provide the following: 
   "(h) Additional Government Assistance 


 
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    "(1) MANDATORY Social Pension       
"[Indigent] ALL senior citizens REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL STATUS OR 
ECONOMIC BRACKET, UPON REACHING THE AGE OF 60, shall be 
AUTOMATICALLY entitled TO RECEIVE A MONTHLY SOCIAL PENSION. 
 
[to a monthly stipend amounting to not less than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) 
to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens:] 
"[The DSWD shall, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM), in consultation with other stakeholders, review and, when 
necessary, adjust the amount of the social pension every two (2) years after the 
effectivity of this Act, taking into account the present consumer price index as 
published by the PSA and relevant economic indicators, as reported and published 
by pertinent government agencies and authorities:] 
 
"THE MANDATORY SOCIAL PENSION SHALL AMOUNT TO NO LESS 
THAN FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P500.00) AT THE FIRST YEAR OF 
IMPLEMENTATION AND SHALL INCREASE TO NO MORE THAN ONE 
THOUSAND PESOS (P1000.00) IN THE SUCCEEDING YEARS, AS THE 
BUDGET WILL ALLOW, TO SUPPORT THE DAILY SUBSISTENCE AND 
MEDICAL NEEDS OF SENIOR CITIZENS. 
 
"PRIORITY SHALL BE GIVEN TO INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS AND 
THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY NOT RECEIVING ANY PENSION. 
 
"UPON REACHING THE ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1000) LIMIT, THE 
MANDATORY SOCIAL PENSION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A REVIEW BY 
CONGRESS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DSWD. 
 
"THE DSWD SHALL ROSTER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE 
MONTHLY SOCIAL PENSION BASED ON A CENTRAL DATABASE WHICH 
INCLUDES THE CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING AND A 


 
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COMPILATION OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF ALL PENSION PROVIDERS. 
THE SSS, GSIS, PGMC, AND OTHER PENSION PROVIDERS SHALL 
PROVIDE 
THE 
DSWD 
WITH 
ACCESS 
TO 
THEIR 
ROSTER 
OF 
BENEFICIARIES EVERY MONTH FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE PHILIPPINE 
STATISTICS AUTHORITY WILL LIKEWISE PROVIDE THE DSWD WITH 
TIMELY ACCESS TO PERTINENT DATA FOR THIS PURPOSE. 
 
             “xxx” 
 
SECTION 3. Form and Manner of Payment - The monthly stipend shall be released 
to target beneficiaries either in cash, direct remittance, electronic transfer, or other 
modes of delivery, whichever is more practical and acceptable to the beneficiary, 
ensuring its release in the most expeditious and efficient manner, through any 
services offered by the Land Bank of the Philippines. 
 
Any senior citizen may present their National Identification Card to claim their 
monthly mandatory social pension. 
 
SECTION 4. Waiver of Fees. — Any transaction or service fee arising from the 
engagement of a service provider for electronic transfer, or other modes of delivery 
which service fees for the release of the monthly stipends and other forms of 
assistance to target beneficiaries shall not be charged against the target 
beneficiaries. 
 
SECTION 5. Transfer of Functions from the DSWD. — The implementation, 
distribution, and management of the social pension for senior citizens shall, in 
accordance with Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7742, as amended by Republic Act 
No. 11350, be transferred from the DSWD to the National Commission of Senior 
Citizens (NCSC) within a period not exceeding two (2) years from the effectivity of 
this Act. The absorption or transfer of regular or permanent and other employees 
of the affected offices and programs of DSWD shall be done in accordance with 
applicable laws, including civil service laws, rules and regulations, and subject to 


 
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the approval of DBM. 
 
SECTION 6. List of Beneficiaries. — The DSWD, and thereafter upon full transfer 
of its functions and programs to the NCSC, with the assistance of the PSA through 
a community-based monitoring system established under Republic Act No. 11315, 
otherwise known as the "Community-Based Monitoring System Act," and 
validation by the LGUs, the list of target beneficiaries shall be updated and 
validated annually. 
 
SECTION 7. Waiver of Pension. — Any senior citizen may opt not to receive the 
mandatory social pension. Any senior citizen who does not claim within forty-five 
(45) days are considered to have opted out to receive the mandatory social pension. 
Unclaimed mandatory pension fund shall be preserved by the DSWD for the 
implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Undisbursed Fund. — Undisbursed funds shall not be reverted to the 
National Treasury and shall be used to augment the appropriation for the following 
year. 
 
SECTION 9. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to implement the 
mandatory social pension under this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
Within a period not exceeding two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, the 
funding for the implementation of the mandatory social pension shall be included 
in the regular appropriations of the DSWD. Thereafter, the regular appropriation 
for the monthly social pension shall be included in the budget of the NCSC. 
Provided, That first and second class cities and municipalities shall fully fund the 
monthly social pension of eligible senior citizens residing within their respective 
jurisdictions. For this purpose, the amount shall be charged against their local funds 
and shall be included in their respective annual budgets. 


 
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The national government, through the DSWD or the NCSC, as the case may be, 
shall continue to fund the social pension for senior citizens residing in third to sixth 
class local government units, as well as in provinces. 
The DBM, in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local 
Government (DILG) and the DSWD, shall issue the necessary guidelines to ensure 
compliance with this section, including the determination of LGU classifications 
and funding responsibilities. 
 
SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Chairperson of the NCSC shall formulate and 
adopt amendments to the existing rules and regulations implementing Republic 
Act No. 11916 to carry out the objectives of this Act, in consultation with the 
Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Budget and 
Management and other concerned government agencies, as well as nongovernment 
organizations and people's organizations of senior citizens duly accredited by the 
DSWD, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid 
or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
 
SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations 
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or 
modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,