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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by Representative CARLITO S. MARQUEZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This refiled bill seeks to amend certain provisions of the Centenarians Act of 2016 
or Republic Act 10868.  
With over 150 co-authors of the proposed measure, this bill was approved by the 
House of Representatives on Third and Final Reading on 31 January 2022 and was 
transmitted to and received by the Senate on 02 February 2022.  
 
Article XV, Section 4 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution specifically provide 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 enactment of Republic Act 10868 giving 
honor to Filipinos who have reached the age of one hundred years old whether residing 
in the Philippines or abroad, is a testament that the State accords due reverence, gratitude 
and worth to our elderlies particularly those who reached the age of one hundred.  
However, about a handful reach the centenarian age and if ever they have reached 
it, they were not able to enjoy and savor the privilege bequeathed to them by law due to 
health relapse. Statistics disclose that Filipinos have a life expectancy at birth of 69.4 
years. Out of 100 Million population in our country, only 205 people have reached the age 
of 100 years old and above. According to DSWD, at least 1,009 Filipino centenarians have 
so far received their P100,000 cash gifts from the government in August of 2018.  
To show that the State has its full concern, let us give them the full coverage of 
health benefits by all government hospitals, meaning, the centenarians will not pay a 
single centavo for his or her checkup or hospitalization in a government hospital.  
Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
              ENGR. CARLITO "Lito" S. MARQUEZ 
August 2, 2022
3:27 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by Representative CARLITO S. MARQUEZ 
AN ACT 
GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO FILIPINO CENTENARIANS, 
RECOGNIZING 
OCTOGENARIANS 
AND 
NONAGENARIANS, 
AND 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘CENTENARIANS 
ACT OF 2016' 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10868 is amended to read as follows: 
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“SEC. 2. [Letter of Felicitation and Cash Gift] BENEFITS FOR 
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CENTENARIANS. – All Filipinos who reach the age of one hundred (100) 
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years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honored with: 
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(a) A letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines
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congratulating the celebrant [for his and her] ON ONE'S longevity;
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and
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(b) A Centenarian Gift in the amount of one hundred thousand pesos
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(P100,000.00)
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“ALL FILIPINO CENTENARIANS WHO REACH THE AGE OF 
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ONE HUNDRED AND ONE (101) YEARS OLD SHALL RECEIVE A 
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CASH GIFT IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE MILLION PESOS 
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(P1,000,000.00) ON THEIR BIRTHDAY.” 
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SEC. 2. A new section denominated as Section 3 of the same Act is added to read as 
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follows: 
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“SEC. 
3. 
BENEFITS 
FOR 
OCTOGENARIANS 
AND 
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NONAGENARIANS. - ALL FILIPINOS WHO REACH THE AGE OF 
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EIGHTY (80), EIGHTY-FIVE (85), NINETY (90) AND NINETY-FIVE 
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(95)
YEARS OLD SHALL ALSO RECEIVE A LETTER OF
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FELICITATION FROM THE PRESIDENT AND A CASH GIFT OF 
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TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P25,000.00).” 
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SEC. 3. Sections 3 and 4 of the same Act are renumbered as Sections 4 and 5 respectively.  
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SEC. 4. A new section denominated as Section 6 of the same Act is added to read as 
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follows:  
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“SEC. 6. LEAD AGENCY. - THE NATIONAL COMMISSION OF SENIOR 
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CITIZENS (NCSC) SHALL IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS 
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ACT.” 
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SEC. 5. Section 5 of the same Act is renumbered as Section 7 and amended to read as 
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follows:  
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“SEC. [5] 7. [Funding. - During the initial year of the implementation of this Act, 
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the requisite fund shall be sourced from the available funds of the Department of 
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Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and subsequently the amount necessary 
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to implement the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
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Appropriations Act."] 
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“APPROPRIATIONS. – THE AMOUNT NECESSARY FOR THE 
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE 
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ANNUAL GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT.” 
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SEC. 6. Section 6 of the same Act is renumbered as Section 8 and amended to read as 
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follows:  
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"SEC. [6] 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within thirty (30) days from 
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the effectivity of this Act, the [Secretaries of the DSWD] CHAIRPERSON OF 
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THE NCSC SHALL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE SECRETARY OF 
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SOCIAL 
WELFARE 
AND 
DEVELOPMENT, 
the 
[Department] 
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SECRETARY of the Interior and Local Government, the [Department] 
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SECRETARY of Health, [and] the Executive Director of the Commission on 
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Filipino Overseas, AND THE UNDERSECRETARY OF THE PHILIPPINE 
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STATISTICS OFFICE, [shall] promulgate the necessary [guidelines for and shall 
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take the lead in] RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR the effective 
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implementation of this Act."  
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SEC. 7. Sections 7 and 8 of the same Act are renumbered as Sections 9 and 10 respectively.  
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SEC. 8. All laws, presidential decrees, issuances, executive orders, letters of instruction, 
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rules or regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with or contrary to the provisions of this 
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Act are repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
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Gazette or 34 in a newspaper of general circulation.  
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Approved,