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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. - ~~ 6431

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Senior Citizens are one of the most economically vulnerable demographic in the Philippines.
‘According to studies, our senior citizens become more economically vulnerable as they age
since they are less likely to find or have employment while their medical expenses continue
to pile up due to ill health, disability or increasing family responsibilities. Moreover, out of
the projected 8.8% of the Philippine population which will comprise of senior citizens,
studies suggest that only twenty percent (20%) of them will benefit from retirement/ old
‘age pensions.’ Meanwhile, only three million seven hundred ninety-six thousand seven
hundred ninety-one (3,796,791) of indigent senior citizens will be covered by the existing
government social pension program.’ Thus, under the existing measures, almost fifty-five
percent (55%) of the senior citizens will receive no pension at all.’ Therefore our current
measures are clearly inadequate to protect our vulnerable senior citizens since it leaves
millions of them outside the protection of our government. Moreover, even for the senior
citizens who are already receiving pension, the continuously rising cost of living in the
* Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). 2019. Labstat Updates: Decent Work in the Philippines:
‘Statistics on Social Security (Report No. ISSN 0118-8747) Retrieved from

hittps://psa.gov. ph/sites/default/files/Labstat% 20Updates% 20V0l%2023%20N0%201%20Decent
pa a ed O.paf

ceoeinest of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 2019. Social Pension Physical

Accomplishment. ‘as of 31 December 2019.

ae D. ios January 2019). Philippines to have ‘aging population’ between 2030 and 2035 —
ine Daily Inquirer, Retrieved from

ms nents inquirer.net/1075493/philippines-to-have-aging-population-between-2030-and-

2035-cpd



Philippines which, not including rent, is now estimated to be around Twenty-six thousand
eight hundred forty-nine pesos (PhP 26,849) necessitates the need to augment the funds
available to them for their daily expenses.* Without the proposed measure, millions of senior
citizens, regardless of indigency or not, will be placed at a high risk of economic insecurity
and resulting poverty.

The resulting plight of our senior citizens run contrary to the 1987 Philippine Constitution
which mandates that the State has a duty to care for its elderly members through programs
of social security’ and the its policy under existing laws which emphasizes its mandate to re-
affirm the valued Filipino tradition of caring for the senior citizens and foster their capacity
to attain more meaningful and productive ageing.”

Thus, this bill seeks to provide all senior citizens with the economic security they deserve
and secure their welfare as mandated by the Philippines Constitution and other relevant
laws by providing a five hundred (PhP 500.00) monthly social pension to all senior citizens,
without any distinctions.

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

Senior Citizens Party-List

Numbeo.com. (2020). Cast of Living in Manila. [online] Available at:
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Manila.
Phil. Const. Art. XV Section 4.
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.


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

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
6431

House Bill No."

Introduced by HON. FRANCISCO G. DATOL, JR.
Representative, Senior Citizens Party-List

AN ACT GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO ALL SENIOR CITIZENS,
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED,
ENTITLED “AN ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO
NATION BUILDING, GRANT BENEFITS AND SPECIAL PRIVILEGES, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES"

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Paragraph (h) (1), Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic
Act No. 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. Government Assistance. - The government shall provide the
following:

20x 200 20
*(h) Additional Government Assistance
*(1)_ Social Pension

“[indigent} ALL senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend
amounting to five hundred pesos (PhP 500.00) to augment the daily
subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens, subject to a review
every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD.

200% 200K v0"

SECTION 2. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Social
Welfare and Development shall, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the


Department of Health, issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations to carry out
the objectives of this Act.

SECTION 3. All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules and regulations contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other
provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in any newspaper of the general circulation.

Approved.