Page | 1 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  1825
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Filipinos are known to be a people with close familial ties. 
Also notable of the Filipino is their paying respect to those who 
have set the path for us to walk on today. Those who laid that 
path, yes some are no longer around but others are still alive. 
They are our senior citizens. They have cared for the present 
generation by imparting wisdom upon those who are still treading 
on the path they have set years ago.  
Senior citizens are given benefits protected upon by law in 
the Philippines. They have cared for the present generation in 
their own special way. The state recognizes their contribution to 
society and appreciates it through several privileges and benefits. 
These privileges and benefits include but are not limited to 
discounts in malls and certain establishments and even special 
lanes in offices and grocery stores.  
Despite this appreciation enjoyed by them through laws and 
benefits, there are still some senior citizens deprived of these 
benefits and even subjected to abuse, be it physical, verbal, 
mental and psychological to name a few, by other members of 
society and sadly even by their own family. It is because of the 
frailty of old age of the elderly that some take advantage or allow 
abuse to occur as the elderly, especially those who have become 
disabled, may no longer protect themselves from abuse. 
July 14, 2025
11:34 am


Page | 2 
This phenomenon of violence towards senior citizens runs 
counter to the Filipino trait of respect for elders. It is sad to see 
that the kindness, wisdom and care given by these senior citizens 
are being repaid with acts of abuse and violence at a point when 
the senior citizen is at his or her most vulnerable. While the 
benefits and privileges are given out of respect for the senior 
citizens, this act aims to give more protection to the senior 
citizens who are victimized by abuse of any form or kind as well 
as to end this disturbing trend of abuse towards the senior 
citizens who have imparted all they have for the country and its 
people. 
While it was known that there are steps being made to curb 
this disturbing trend of differently-abled senior citizen abuse, this 
Bill seeks to give the differently-abled senior citizens protection 
from abuse just as children and women have as dictated by the 
law. 
It is only for this reason that the approval of this bill is 
being sought. 
ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 


Page | 3 
Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No.  1825
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
AN ACT DEFINING ABUSE TOWARDS DIFFERENTLY-ABLED 
SENIOR CITIZENS, PROVIDING FOR PROTECTIVE 
MEASURES FOR VICTIMS, PROTECTION FROM ABUSE, AND 
PRESCRIBING PENALTIES THEREFOR. 
Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the 
Anti-Differently Abled Elders Abuse Act of 2025.  
Section 2. Coverage. This Act shall protect differently-
abled senior citizens living in the Philippines, who are now 
vulnerable physically, or psychologically, from any abuse, be it 
verbal, physical, mental or psychological from any entity or 
person. 
Section 3. Definition of Terms – For purposes of this Act: 
1) Differently-able persons – individuals who are impaired
physically and/or mentally. This condition may either be
permanent or temporary.
2) Senior Citizen – refers to any resident or citizen of the
Philippines aged sixty (60) years old and above
3) Vulnerable – refers to an individual who is defenseless or
has no capability to defend him or herself as well as
incapable to provide for himself or herself. This also
includes the following:


Page | 4 
a. Individual who is crippled or suffering from a
debilitating disease rendering him/her unable to
work and is dependent upon strict care of a
medically 
trained 
professional 
(i.e. 
caregivers,
personal nurses)
b. Individual who lacks psychological capacity in such
a way that the individual can no longer respond
normally and is in need of treatment and regular
medication.
4) Abuse – refers to any kind or form of cruel treatment on a
person which includes any of the following:
a. Physical – refers to intended use of force against a
senior citizen resulting in physical pain, injury or
impairment as well as inappropriate use of drugs,
restraints or confinement;
b. Emotional – refers to intimidation through verbal
threats, humiliation and ridicule, and habitual
blaming or scapegoating;
c. Psychological – refers to isolating a senior citizen
from friends or activities, ignoring the senior citizen
and terrorizing or menacing the senior citizen;
d. Sexual – refers to engaging in sexual activity with a
senior citizen without consent;
e. Neglect – refers to a failure in fulfilling a caretaking
obligation which can either be:
i. Active or intentional
ii. Passive or unintentional (based on factors such
as ignorance or denial that a senior citizen
being taken care of needs as much care as he
or she does)
f. Fraud – refers to misuse of senior citizen’s personal
checks, credit cards or accounts. This also involves


Page | 5  
 
stealing of cash, income checks or household goods 
as well as forging the senior citizen’s signature and 
engagement in identity theft and; 
 
g. Scams – shall include any scheme of fraudulently 
awarding a “prize” to a senior citizen on the 
condition that the senior citizen pays money to 
claim said “prize”, or involvement in phony charities  
or any form of investment fraud. 
 
Section 4. Acts of Abuse towards Differently-abled 
Senior Citizens. The crime of abuse towards differently-abled 
senior citizens is committed through any of the following acts: 
 
a) Causing physical harm to differently-abled senior citizen; 
 
b) Threatening to cause the differently-abled senior citizen 
physical harm; 
 
c) Attempting to cause the differently-abled senior citizen 
physical harm; 
 
d) Placing the differently-abled senior citizen in fear of 
imminent physical harm; 
 
e) Attempting to compel or compelling the differently-abled 
senior citizen to engage in conduct with the differently-
abled senior citizen has the right to desist from conduct 
which the differently-abled senior citizen has the right to 
engage in, or attempting to restrict or restricting the 
differently-abled senior citizen’s freedom of movement or 
conduct by force or threat of force, physical or other 
harm or threat of physical or other harm, or intimidation 
directed against the differently-abled senior citizen. This 
shall include, but shall not be limited to the following 
acts committed with the purpose or effect of controlling or 
restricting the differently-abled senior citizen’s movement 
or conduct. 
 
1. Threatening to deprive or actually depriving the 
differently-abled senior citizen of custody to 
his/her family; 


Page | 6  
 
 
2. Depriving 
or 
threatening 
to 
deprive 
the 
differently-abled senior citizen of a legal right; 
 
3. Controlling the differently-abled senior citizen’s 
own money or properties, or solely controlling 
the conjugal or common money or properties 
with the purpose of depriving him/her of the 
same; 
 
f) Inflicting or threatening to inflict physical harm on 
oneself for the purpose of controlling his/her actions 
or decisions; 
 
g) Causing or attempting to cause the differently-abled 
senior citizen to engage in any sexual activity which 
does not constitute rape, by force or threat of force, 
physical harm, or through intimidation directed 
against the 
differently-abled 
senior citizen or 
his/her immediate family; 
 
h) Engaging 
in 
purposeful, 
knowing 
or 
reckless 
conduct, personally or through another that alarms 
or causes substantial emotional or psychological 
distress to the differently-abled senior citizen. This 
shall include, but not be limited to the following 
acts:  
 
1. Stalking or following the 
differently-abled 
senior citizen in public or private places; 
 
2. Peering in the window or lingering outside the 
residence of the differently-abled senior citizen; 
 
3. Entering or remaining in the dwelling or on the 
property of the differently-abled senior citizen 
against his/her will; 
 
4. Destroying 
the 
property 
and 
personal 
belongings or inflicting harm to animals or pets 
of the differently-abled senior citizens; and 


Page | 7  
 
 
5. Engaging in any form of harassment or 
violence; 
 
i) Causing mental or emotional anguish, public ridicule 
or humiliation to the differently-abled senior citizen, 
including but not limited to, repeated verbal and 
emotional abuse. 
 
Section 5. Penalties – The crime of abuse towards 
differently-abled senior citizens, under Section 4 hereof shall be 
punished according to the following rules: 
 
a. Acts falling under Section 4(a) constituting attempted, 
frustrated or consummated parricide or murder or 
homicide shall be punished in accordance with the 
provisions of the Revised Penal Code. 
 
If these acts resulted in mutilation, it shall be punishable 
in accordance with the Revised Penal Code, those 
constituting serious physical injuries shall have the 
penalty of the prison mayor; those constituting less 
serious physical injuries shall be punished by prision 
correccional; and those constituting slight physical 
injuries shall be punished by arresto mayor. 
 
Acts falling under section 4(b) shall be punished by 
imprisonment of two degrees lower than the prescribed 
penalty for the consummated crime but in no case be 
lower than as specified in the preceding paragraph 
provided, however, that it shall not be lower than arresto 
mayor. 
 
b. Acts falling under Section 4(c) and 4(d) shall be 
punished by arresto mayor; 
 
c. Acts falling under Section 4(e) shall be punished by 
prision correccional;  
 
d. Acts falling under Section 4(f) shall be punished by 
prision mayor; 
 


Page | 8  
 
e. Acts falling under Section 4(g) and 4(h) shall be 
punished by prision mayor. 
 
In addition to imprisonment, the perpetrator shall (a) pay 
a fine in the amount of not less than One Hundred 
Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) but not more than Three 
Hundred Thousand Pesos (P300,000.00); (b) undergo 
mandatory 
psychological 
counseling 
or 
psychiatric 
treatment and shall report compliance to the court. 
 
Section 6. Venue. –Regional Trial Courts designated as 
Family Courts shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over 
cases of abuse towards differently-abled senior citizens under 
this Bill. In the absence of such court in the place where the 
offense was committed, the case shall be filed in the Regional 
Trial Court where the crime or any of its elements was committed 
at the option of the complainant. 
 
Section 7. Reporting Mechanisms. For reporting of 
incidences of abuse towards differently-abled senior citizens, 
there will be a special desk in every police precinct and barangay 
hall for differently-abled Senior Citizen Abuse concerns to 
monitor such incidences. 
 
Section 8. Who may File a Complaint – Complaints on 
cases of abuse towards differently-abled senior citizen as 
enumerated herein may be filed by the following: 
 
1. Offended party; 
 
2. Descendant or collateral relative within the second 
degree of consanguinity; 
 
3. Officer, social worker or representative of a licensed 
senior citizen- caring institution; 
 
4. Officer or social worker of the Department of Social 
Welfare and Development; 
 
5. Barangay chairman; or 
 


Page | 9  
 
6. At least three (3) concerned responsible citizens where 
the violation occurred. 
 
Section 9. Public Crime. – Abuse towards differently-abled 
senior citizens shall be considered a public offense which may be 
prosecuted upon the filing of a complaint by any citizen having 
personal 
knowledge 
of 
the 
circumstances 
involving 
the 
commission of the crime. 
 
Section 10.  Prohibited Defense. – Being under the 
influence of alcohol, any illicit drug, or any other mind-altering 
substance shall not be a defense under this Act. 
 
Section 11. Duties of Prosecutors/Court Personnel. – 
Prosecutors and court personnel should observe the following 
duties when dealing with victims under this Act: 
 
a) communicate with the victim in a language understood 
by the differently-abled senior citizen; and 
 
b) inform the victim of her/his rights including legal 
remedies available and procedure, and privileges for 
indigent litigants. 
 
Section 12. Duties of Barangay Officials and Law 
Enforcers. – Barangay officials and law enforcers shall have the 
following duties: 
 
(a) respond immediately to a call for help or request for 
assistance or protection of the victim by entering the necessary 
dwelling or household whether or not a protection order has been 
issued and ensure the safety of the victim/s; 
 
(b) confiscate any deadly weapon in the possession of the 
perpetrator or within plain view; 
 
(c) transport or escort the victim/s to a safe place of their choice 
or to a clinic or hospital; 
 
(d) assist the victim in removing personal belongs from the house; 
 


Page | 10  
 
(e) assist the barangay officials and other government officers and 
employees who respond to a call for help; 
 
(f) ensure the enforcement of the Protection Orders issued by 
the Punong Barangy or the courts; 
 
(g) arrest the suspected perpetrator without a warrant when any 
of the acts of violence defined by this Act are occurring, or when 
he/she has personal knowledge that any act of abuse has just 
been committed, and there is imminent danger to the life or limb 
of the victim as defined in this Act; and 
 
(h) immediately report the call for assessment or assistance of the 
DSWD, social Welfare Department of LGUs or accredited non-
government organizations (NGOs). 
 
Any barangay official or law enforcer who fails to report the 
incident shall be criminally, civilly or administratively liable as 
the case may be and in addition be liable for the payment of a 
fine not exceeding Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00); 
  
Section 13. Healthcare Provider Response to Abuse – 
Any healthcare provider, including, but not limited to, an 
attending physician, nurse, clinician, barangay health worker, 
therapist or counselor who suspects abuse or has been informed 
by the victim of violence shall: 
 
(a) properly document any of the victim's physical, emotional or 
psychological injuries; 
 
(b) properly record any of victim's suspicions, observations and 
circumstances of the examination or visit; 
 
(c) automatically provide the victim free of charge a medical 
certificate concerning the examination or visit; 
 
(d) safeguard the records and make them available to the victim 
upon request at actual cost; and 
 


Page | 11  
 
(e) provide the victim immediate and adequate notice of rights 
and remedies provided under this Act, and services 
available to them. 
 
Section 14. Duties of Other Government Agencies and 
LGUs – Other government agencies and LGUs shall establish 
programs such as, but not limited to, education and information 
campaign and seminars or symposia on the nature, causes, 
incidence and consequences of such violence particularly towards 
educating the public on its social impacts. 
 
It shall be the duty of the concerned government agencies and 
LGU's to ensure the sustained education and training of their 
officers and personnel on the prevention of abuse towards 
differently-abled senior citizens under the Act. 
 
Section 
15. Prohibited 
Acts. 
– A Punong 
Barangay, 
Barangay Kagawad or the court hearing an application for a 
protection order shall not order, direct, force or in any way 
unduly influence the applicant for a protection order to 
compromise or abandon any of the reliefs sought in the 
application for protection under this Act. Section 7 of the Family 
Courts Act of 1997 and Sections 410, 411, 412 and 413 of the 
Local Government Code of 1991 shall not apply in proceedings 
where relief is sought under this Act. 
 
Failure to comply with this Section shall render the official or 
judge administratively liable. 
 
Section 16. Persons Intervening Exempt from Liability. 
– In every case of abuse towards differently-abled senior citizens 
as herein defined, any person, private individual or police 
authority or barangay official who, acting in accordance with law, 
responds or intervenes without using violence or restraint greater 
than necessary to ensure the safety of the victim, shall not be 
liable for any criminal, civil or administrative liability resulting 
therefrom. 
 
Section 17. Rights of Victims. – In addition to their rights 
under existing laws, victims of abuse towards differently-abled 
senior citizens shall have the following rights: 
 


Page | 12  
 
(a) to be treated with respect and dignity; 
 
(b) to avail of legal assistance from the PAO of the Department 
of Justice (DOJ) or any public legal assistance office; 
 
(c) To be entitled to support services form the DSWD and 
LGUs; 
 
(d) To be entitled to all legal remedies and support as provided 
under the Family Code; and 
 
(e) To be informed of their rights and the services available to 
them including their right to apply for a protection order. 
 
Section 18. Damages. – Any victim of violence under this 
Act shall be entitled to actual, compensatory, moral and 
exemplary damages. 
 
Section 19. Hold Departure Order. – The court shall 
expedite the process of issuance of a hold departure order in 
cases prosecuted under this Act. 
 
Section 20. Exemption from Payment of Docket Fee and 
Other Expenses. – If the victim is an indigent or there is an 
immediate necessity due to imminent danger or threat of danger 
to act on an application for a protection order, the court shall 
accept the application without payment of the filing fee and other 
fees and of transcript of stenographic notes. 
 
Section 21. Inter-Agency Council on Abuse toward 
Differently 
- 
Abled 
Senior 
Citizens 
(IAC-ATDASC). In 
pursuance of the abovementioned policy, there is hereby 
established 
an 
Inter-Agency 
Council 
on 
abuse 
towards 
differently-abled Senior Citizens, hereinafter known as the 
Council, which shall be composed of the following agencies: 
 
(a) Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); 
 
(b) Commission on Human rights (CHR); 
 


Page | 13  
 
(c) Department of Justice (DOJ); 
 
(d) Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG); 
 
(e) Philippine National Police (PNP); 
 
(f) Department of Health (DOH); 
 
(g) Department of Education (DepEd);  
 
(h) National Council on Disabled Affairs (NCDA);and 
 
(i) National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). 
 
 
These agencies are tasked to formulate programs and projects to 
eliminate abuse against differently-abled senior citizens based on 
their mandates as well as develop capability programs for their 
employees to become more sensitive to the needs of their clients.  
 
The Council members may designate their duly authorized 
representative who shall have a rank not lower than an assistant 
secretary or its equivalent. These representatives shall attend 
Council meetings in their behalf, and shall receive emoluments 
as may be determined by the Council in accordance with existing 
budget and accounting rules and regulations. 
 
Section 22. Mandatory Programs and Services for 
Victims. – The DSWD, and LGU's shall provide the victims 
temporary shelters, provide counseling, psycho-social services 
and /or, recovery, rehabilitation programs and livelihood 
assistance. 
 
The DOH shall provide medical assistance to victims. 
 


Page | 14  
 
Section 23. Counseling and Treatment of Offenders. –
 The DSWD shall provide rehabilitative counseling and treatment 
to perpetrators towards learning constructive ways of coping with 
anger and emotional outbursts and reforming their ways. When 
necessary, the offender shall be ordered by the Court to submit to 
psychiatric treatment or confinement. 
 
Section 24. Training of Persons Involved in Responding 
to Abuse towards Differently-Abled Senior Citizens Cases. –
 All agencies involved in responding to abuse towards differently-
abled senior citizens cases shall be required to undergo education 
and training to acquaint them with: 
 
a. the nature, extend and causes of abuse towards differently-
abled senior citizens; 
 
b. the legal rights of, and remedies available to, victims of 
abuse towards differently-abled senior citizens; 
 
c. the services and facilities available to victims or survivors; 
 
d. the legal duties imposed on police officers to make arrest 
and to offer protection and assistance; and 
 
e. techniques for handling incidents of abuse towards senior 
citizens that minimize the likelihood of injury to the officer 
and promote the safety of the victim or survivor. 
 
The PNP, in coordination with LGU's shall establish an education 
and training program for police officers and barangay officials to 
enable them to properly handle cases of abuse towards 
differently-abled senior citizens. 
 
Section 25. Confidentiality. – All records pertaining to 
cases of abuse towards differently-abled senior citizens including 
those in the barangay shall be confidential and all public officers 
and employees and public or private clinics to hospitals shall 
respect the right to privacy of the victim. Whoever publishes or 
causes to be published, in any format, the name, address, 
telephone number, school, business address, employer, or other 


Page | 15  
 
identifying information of a victim or an immediate family 
member, without the latter's consent, shall be liable to the 
contempt power of the court. 
 
Any person who violates this provision shall suffer the 
penalty of one (1) year imprisonment and a fine of not more than 
Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (P500,000.00). 
 
Section 26. Common Penal Provisions. 
 
a. 
The penalty provided under this Act shall be imposed 
in its maximum period if the offender has been 
previously convicted under this Act; 
b. 
The penalty provided herein shall be imposed in its 
maximum period when the perpetrator is a collateral 
relative within the second degree of consanguinity or 
affinity or a manager or owner of an establishment 
which has no license to operate or its license has 
expired or has otherwise been revoked;  
c. 
The penalty provided for in this Act shall be imposed in 
its maximum period if the offender is a public officer or 
employee. Provided however, that if the penalty 
imposed is reclusion perpetua or reclusion temporal, 
then the penalty of perpetual or temporary absolute 
disqualification shall also be imposed. Provided finally, 
that if the penalty imposed is prision correccional or 
arresto mayor, the penalty of suspension shall also be 
imposed, and 
d. 
A fine to be determined by the court shall be imposed 
and administered as a cash fund by the Department of 
Social Welfare and Development and disbursed for the 
rehabilitation of each differently-abled senior citizen 
victim, or any immediate member of his family if the 
latter is the perpetrator of the offense.  
 
SECTION 27. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within 
six (6) months from the approval of this Act, the DOJ, the DSWD, 
the DILG, the DOH, the NCDA and the PNP, shall promulgate the 
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of this Act. 
 
Such rules and regulations shall take effect upon their 
publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 


Page | 16  
 
 
SECTION 28. Suppletory Application – For purposes of this 
Act, the Revised Penal Code and other applicable laws, shall have 
suppletory application. 
 
 
Section 29. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential 
decrees, letters of instructions, executive orders, rules and 
regulations insofar as they are inconsistent with this Act, are 
hereby repealed or amended as the case may be.  
 
 
Section 30. Separability Clause. - In the event that any 
provision of this Act or any portion thereof is declared 
unconstitutional by a competent court, the other provisions shall 
not be affected thereby and shall remain valid and enforceable. 
 
 
Section 31. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect 
after its complete publication in at least three (3) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
 
 
APPROVED.