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

Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1296

Introduced by Representative MARK ANTHONY G. SANTOS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XV, Section 4, of the 1987 Constitution states that “The family has the duty to
care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just programs of social
security”

The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) together with the World Health
Organization (WHO) conducted a workshop and stated that as of July 2023, NCSC has
registered 2,274,531 senior citizens aged 60 to 100 years old across the country. Data estimates
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

Senior citizens are more prone to illness and medical expenses, increasing their
vulnerability to poverty. In 2018, the Philippines Statistical Authority’s (PSA) 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.

This bill seeks to give 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. With this proposed
measure all senior citizens are entitled to a mandatory social pension.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

MARK ANTHONY. SA 1S
Representative, Lone District of Las Pifias


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

Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1236

Introduced by Representative MARK ANTHONY G. SANTOS

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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in
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

“(1) MANDATORY Social Pension

“[ndigent] 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.


“THE MANDATORY JAL PENSION MOUNT TO NO LE;
THAN _FIVE HUNDRED _P! 500.00) AT THE FIRST YEAR

IMPLEMENTATION AND SHALL INCREASE TO NO MORE THAN ONE

THOUSAND PESOS (P1000.00) IN THE ING_ YEARS, AS_THE
ET WILL SUPPORT THE DAILY SUBSI: E_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 IAL PENSION TO A REVIE'
CONGRESS, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DSWD.

“THE DSWD SHALL ROSTER INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE
FOR SOCIAL PENSION BASED ON A CENT. "ABASE
WHICH INCLUDES THE CENSUS OF POPULATION AND HOUSING AND A
COMPILATION OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF ALL PENSION PROVIDERS.
THE 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 PERT DATA FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Sex"

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 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 community-
based monitoring system established under Republic Act No. 11315, otherwise known as the
“Community-Based Monitoring System Act,” and validation by the LGUs, shall prepare the
list of target beneficiaries which 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 appropriation for the following year.

SECTION 9. Appropriations. — The mandatory social pension within a period not
exceeding two (2) years from the implementation of this Act shall be added to the regular
appropriation of the DSWD budget in the General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, the regular
appropriation for the monthly social pension for senior citizens shall be included in the budget
of the NCSC.

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,