NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. No. 955
r‘ I Ornate
J ••V'y
, 
of fl)f #>f tretai'i*
‘22 AUG-1 FI :20
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE GERIATRIC CENTER - RESEARCH AND 
TRAINING INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS OBJECTIVES, POWERS AND 
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to the 2010 Census of Population, there are around 6.2 million 
senior citizens in the country.1 This is equivalent to 6.8% of the population.2 This 
number of elderly Filipinos is projected to increase to 9,508,800 by 2020- a growth 
of 4.3% over ten years.3 By that point, the elderly sector will account for 8.6% of 
the Philippine population.
Senior citizens are an extremely vulnerable group. They encounter many 
challenges which are difficult to hurdle due to their old age. As such, they require 
special protection from the State. The drafters of the 1987 Constitution recognized 
this and included provisions on the protection of the elderly in our fundamental law.
Health status is one of the major issues faced by the elderly. Dr. Clarita Carlos 
of the University of the Philippines wrote the following in the Philippine Social 
Sciences Review: "A third Issue is the health status of the elderly. As people age, 
their health status bodies undergo changes which can make them less resistant to
1 Philippine Statistics Authority. 2016 Philippine Statistical Yearbook.
2 Ibid.
3 Author's own computation based on 2016 Philippine Statistica Yearbook


chronic, debilitating and disabling conditions. Consequently, the elderly tend to be 
more at high risk of developing disabilities and contracting diseases."4
This bill seeks to improve the health support services for senior citizens by 
establishing the Philippine Geriatric Center - Research and Training Institute (PGC- 
RTI). Under this bill, the PGC-RTI shall be mandated to:
a. Equip, maintain, administer, and operate an integrated medical institution 
which shall specialize in geriatric health services;
b. Promote medical and scientific research/database relative to the prevention, 
diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and relief of disease of older 
persons;
c. Provide education and training of physicians, nurses, officers, social workers, 
barangay health workers, and other medical and technical personnel in the 
practice and scientific implementation of health services to older persons; and
d. Coordinate the various efforts and activities of other government agencies 
and local government units for the purpose of achieving a more effective 
approach to the delivery of geriatric health.
In view of the foregoing, speedy approval of this measure is eagerly sought.
GR-4CE POE
4 Carlos, C.R. "Concerns of the Elderly in the Philippines" Philippine Social Sciences Review Vol. 56, 
No. 1-4: 1999


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
SENATE
955
S. No.
1
of tl)p
*22 WJ6-1 PI‘20
RECEIVED BY:
Introduced by Senator Grace Poe
AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE PHILIPPINE GERIATRIC CENTER - RESEARCH AND 
TRAINING INSTITUTE, DEFINING ITS OBJECTIVES, POWERS AND 
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as 'Philippine Geriatric Center
2 
Act of2022"
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
protect and promote the right of senior citizens to enjoy the highest attainable
5 
standard of health. It shall ensure that quality health services are available and
6 
accessible to them through the establishment of a specialized hospital that will cater
7 
to their medical needs.
8 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purposes of this Act, the following terms
9 
shall be defined as follows:
10 
a) Senior Citizen - refers to any Filipino citizen who is at least sixty (60)
Tl 
years old;
12 
b) Geriatrics - refers to the branch of medicine that deals with the
13 
biological and physical characteristics of aging, and the diagnosis and
14 
treatment of diseases and problems specific to senior citizens;


1 
c) Geriatric Health Services - refers to the medical services or intervention
2 
provided to senior citizens by a multi-specialty team usually headed by
3 
a Geriatrician;
4 
d) Geriatrician - refers to a medical doctor who is specially trained to
5 
evaluate and manage the unique healthcare needs and treatment
6 
preferences of older people, and has passed the necessary training and
7 
examination to specialize in the field geriatrics;
8 
e) Integrated Delivery of Geriatric Health Services - refers to hospital and
9 
community-based medical and psychological services provided to
10 
senior citizens by a multi-disciplinary team; and
11 
f) Multi-Disciplinary Team - refers to a team composed of health
12 
professionals with varied expertise to provide holistic care, which
13 
includes a range of interventions to address medical and psycho-social
14 
problems of senior citizens. The team is headed by a Geriatrician and
15 
includes surgeons, organ-system specialists, nurses, clinical
16 
pharmacists, rehabilitation therapists, nutritionists, dentists, social
17 
workers, caregivers, family members, and patients themselves.
18 
Sec. 4. Phiiippine Geriatric Center - Research and Training Institute (PGC-
19 
RTI). The National Center for Geriatric Health (NCGH) located in San Miguel, Manila,
20 
is hereby renamed to Philippine Geriatric Center - Research and Training Institute
21 
(PGC-RTI) and institutionalized as an Independent Level 1, Fifty (50) bed-capacity
22 
budgetary hospitals under the direct control and supervision of the Department of
23 
Health for the benefit of senior citizens and older persons. The Philippine Geriatric
24 
Center - Research and Training Institute (PGC-RTI) shall have a separate line item
25 
under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the DOH.
26 
Sec. 5. Purposes and Objectives. - The PGC-RTI shall have the following
27 
purposes and objectives:
28 
a. Equip, maintain, administer, 
and operate an integrated medical
29 
institution which shall specialize In geriatric health services;
30 
b. Promote medical and scientific research/data base relative to the
31 
prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and relief of
32 
disease of older persons;


1 
c. Provide education and training of physicians, nurses, officers, social
2 
workers, barangay health workers, and other medical and technical
3 
personnel in the practice and scientific implementation of health
4 
services to older persons; and
5 
d. Coordinate the various efforts and activities of other government
6 
agencies and local government units for the purpose of achieving a
7 
more effective approach to the delivery of geriatric health.
8 
Sec. 6. Scope of Services. - Consistent with Its purpose and objectives, the
9 
PGC-RTI shall provide the following services:
10 
a. Hospital-based services to ensure the availability of medical facilities and
11 
equipment necessary to provide long term and palliative services, with its
12 
wards divided Into the following: dementia, long-term care, palliative care,
13 
respite care, and other units as may be deemed necessary;
14 
b. Community-based services and programs in partnership with local
15 
government units. Research and necessary training shall be conducted for
16 
the social functioning of senior citizens and their families, utilizing the
17 
multi-disciplinary team approaches, and external outsourcing of resources
18 
may be done as needed to implement community based integrated
19 
geriatric health services;
20 
c. Education programs to pursue excellence and the highest level of practice
21 
in the specialized field of geriatrics and other related fields, including but
22 
not limited to post-graduate training and short-term courses for medical
23 
doctors and allied medical professionals; and
24 
d. Program development and research to develop cutting edge research and
25 
programs to combat diseases of old age 
and to improve health care
26 
services for senior citizens.
27 
Sec. 7. Referral System. - The PGC-RTI shall be the referral center for all
28 
Private and Government Facilities for specialized geriatric care.
29 
Sec. 8. Administration. - The Department of Health through the Health
30 
Facilities Development Bureau (HFDB) shall assume oversight of the PGC-RTI, and
31 
promulgate the rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of
32 
this Act.


1 
The DOH shall approve the organizational and staffing pattern of the PGC-RTT
2 
subject to the evaluation by the Civil Service Commission and of the Organizational
3 
Position Classification and Compensation Bureau of the Department of Budget and
4 
Management. The DOH may reorganize said structure, modify staffing pattern, and
5 
create or abolish divisions, sections or units in the PCG-RTI.
6 
Sec. 9. Appointment and Disciplining Authority of the Secretary of Health. -
1 
The DOH Secretary shall have the authority to appoint, promote, transfer, remove,
8 
suspend, or otherwise discipline the officers of the PGC-RTT up to the level of
9 
Director, as well as to remove or dismiss all other officials and employees of PGC-
10 
RTI, subject to Civil Service laws, rules and regulations.
11 
Sec. 10. Appropriations. - The budget allocation for PGC-RTI shall be in
12 
accordance with its scope of work and mandate as stated herein. The amount of
13 
Three Hundred Million (Php 300,000,000) is hereby appropriated for the initial
14 
operation and maintenance of the PGC-RTT. Thereafter, the PGC-RTI shall submit its
15 
annual budget proposal to the DOH Central Office duly approved by the Secretary of
16 
Health as well as by the Department of Budget and Management, which will form
17 
part of the budget of the DOH as reflected in the General Appropriations Act.
18 
Sec. 11. Program for Indigents. - The DOH shall ensure that the PGC-RTT
19 
shall adopt and enforce an effective program for indigents. The number of beds
20 
allocated for the indigent patients shall not be less than forty percent (40%) of the
21 
total number of hospital beds.
22 
Sec. 12. Increase of Bed Capacity. - The Medical Director may increase the
23 
bed capacity of PGC-RTT upon compliance with the guidelines of the Department of
24 
Health and Department of Budget and Management concerning bed capacity.
25 
Sec. 13. Income Retention. - The PGC-RTI shall be authorized to retain its
26 
earnings from its operations for the improvement of its service delivery.
27 
Sec. 14. Tax Exemption and Other Privileges. - The provisions of any general
28 
or special law to the contrary notwithstanding, all donations, grants, contributions,
29 
gifts, endowments, received by the PGC-RTI pursuant hereto, shall be exempt from
30 
income, donor's, and all other kinds of taxes, and shall be further considered as
31 
allowable deductions from the gross income of the donor, in accordance with the
32 
provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.


1 
The PGC-RTI is hereby declared exempt from all income and all other internal
2 
revenue taxes, tariffs and customs duties and ail other kinds of taxes, fees, charges
3 
and assessments levied by the government and its political subdivisions, agencies
4 
and instrumentalities.
5 
The PGC-RTI may request and receive assistance from the different agencies,
6 
bureaus, offices or instrumentalities of the government, including the Philippine
7 
Charity Sweepstakes Office and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation in
8 
pursuit of its purposes and objectives.
9 
Sec. 15, Annual Report. - The PGC-RTI shall submit an annual report to the
10 
President of the Philippines, the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, and
11 
the House Committee on Health, on its activities, accomplishments and
12 
recommendations, to better improve the delivery of geriatric health services.
13 
Sec. 16. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). - Within ninety (90) days
14 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health, in coordination with the
15 
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development and the Secretary of Budget and
16 
Management, shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the effective
17 
implementation of this Act.
18 
Sec. 17. Transitory Provisions. - In accomplishing the acts of organization
19 
herein prescribed, the following transitory provisions shall be complied with:
20 
a. The Medical Director of the PGC-RTI shall be a specialized geriatric
21 
practitioner and shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health.
22 
b. The existing personnel of the NCGH shall remain in their current positions
23 
until such time a revised and/or new organizational and staffing pattern is
24 
implemented.
25 
c. The Health Facilities Development Bureau of the Department of Health
26 
shall ensure that no disruption of service will occur during transition.
27 
Sec. 18, Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or
28 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected
29 
shall remain valid and subsisting.
30 
Sec. 19. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
31 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative rule or regulation contrary to or


1 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended
2 
accordingly.
3 
Sec. 20- Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days upon its
4 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,