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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) iS RECEIVED

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

House of Representatives

Introduced by Representative CARMELO G. LAZATIN, JR.

House Bill No. 2422

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE BALE PUSU HOME FOR THE ELDERLY IN ALL CITIES AND
MUNICIPALITIES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

We, Filipinos are known for our loving and caring culture especially toward the elderly
members of our community. It is no wonder that most foreign countries employ Filipino nurses in
most of their hospitals and homecare facilities.

Based on the 2020 Census of Population conducted by the Philippine Statistics Office, a
total of 8.5 percent or 9.22 million of the household population is composed of senior citizens. It
is higher than the 7.5 percent that was recorded in 2015.

This manifests that the elderly population is ever-increasing which means that there is also
a dire need to intensify programs that would cater to their needs.

In Angeles City, we have established the Bale Pusu Home for the Elderly which takes into
custody elderly individuals who are left on the streets and who do not have families to take care
of them. In this facility, they are given proper health care and regular check-up by assigned doctors
and nurses from the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center. They are also monitored and
accompanied by house-parents who are social workers 24 hours a day.

The said facility is continuously being improved and is now able to accommodate more
elderly , mostly homeless. With the initial success of this project, it is proposed through this bill
that a Bale Pusu Home for the Elderly be established in all cities and municipalities and to set
standards for the provision of eldercare to its would -be wards.

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

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Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

HOUSE BILL NO2422

Introduced by Rep. CARMELO G. LAZATIN, JR.

AN ACT

ESTABLISHING THE BALE PUSU HOME FOR THE ELDERLY IN ALL CITIES AND
MUNICIPALITIES

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

SECTION 1 Title- This Act shall be known as “Bale Pusu Home for the Elderly in all
cities and municipalities Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy — it is hereby declared the policy of the state as
provided in Article XV, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines 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”.

To this end, the State shall establish a home for the elderly in all cities and municipality so
that the senior members of the community especially those who are left on the streets or have no
families or kins to take care of them may be sheltered and could be given proper eldercare.

SECTION 3 Definition of Terms
a. Eldercare shall mean the provision of health services to the senior citizens.
b. Elderly or senior citizen shall refer to a resident citizen at least 60 years of age as

defined under RA No. 9994 also known as the expanded Senior Citizens Act of
2010.


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c. Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs shall mean the Office established by RA 7432 or
the Senior Citizens Act.

SECTION 4. Scope and Coverage- The Bale Pusu Home for the elderly shall prioritize
and cater to abandoned elderly citizens only. Once interviewed and evaluated by a Social Worker,
they shall be taken into custody at the shelter and will be given the appropriate health care and
other services they need to ensure their well-being.

SECTION 5. Special Committee on Bale Pusu Home for the elderly-This committee
shall oversee the establishment and management of at least one (1) elderly center in all cities and
municipalities. It shall be composed of the following:

a) Secretary of the Department of Health as Chairperson;

b) Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as Vice
Chairperson;

©) Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways as member;

d) Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government as member;

¢) National Commission of Senior Citizens Chairperson as member;

£) One representation of the Private sector who is a senior and who is appointed by the
President as a member.

‘The Committee shall ensure that the Bale Pusu Home for the elderly shall have the
following:

a) Sufficient qualified staff to render appropriate services to elderly wards in the centers;
b) Facilities, rooms and spaces that are suitable for eldercare;

c) Basic health and recreational facilities;

d) Basic utilities such as electricity and water;

e) Database on elderly wards

SECTION 6. The Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs- The Office Senior Citizen Affairs
shall be responsible in the referrals of abandoned elderly citizens to the Center.

SECTION 7. Implementing rules and Regulations- Within 60 days upon the approval
of this Act, the Special Committee mention in Section 4 herein shall convene to prepare the rules
and regulations for the implementation of this Act.


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SECTION 8. Staffing- All Centers shall have three staff groups working on an 8-hour
shift to provide the necessary care needed elderly wards. Each group shall consist of one doctor,
one nurse, two trained barangay health worker and one social worker.

‘The Local Government unit shall hire the necessary staff to manage the elderly center.

SECTION 9. Appropriations- - The funding necessary to carry out the provisions of this
‘Act is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the General Appropriations Act of the year
following its enactment, and every year thereafter.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act is declared
invalid or unconstitutional, the other parts hereof not affected thereby shall remain valid.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause- All laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders,
administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this
Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,