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NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session
23 JUN27 P5 22
RECEIVE D BY:
SENATE
S.B. No. 2291
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT DEFINING AND PROHIBITING SENIOR CITIZEN ABUSE, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines “elder abuse” as a “single or 
repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where 
there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.” 
It is a violation of human rights, and includes physical, sexual, psychological and 
emotional abuse, financial and material abuse, abandonment, neglect, and serious 
loss of dignity and respect.1
According to the WHO, at least 1 in 6 people (15.7%) aged 60 years and 
older are subjected to some form of abuse prior to the pandemic.2 This number 
was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as found by a study conducted in 
the United States.3
In the Philippines, data from the Philippine National Police (PNP) show that 
there was a total of 182,653 incidents involving senior citizens as victims from 
January 1, 2016, to April 16, 2023. While there had been a decrease in number of 
incidents involving senior citizens from 32,897 in 2016 to 20,464 in 2022, some 
incidents that have not reached the authorities may not have been taken into
1 June 13, 2022. Abuse of older people. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older- 
people (Last accessed on May 15, 2023).
2 Elder abuse prevalence in community settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Available at 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/281Q4184/ (Last accessed on June 19, 2023). Based on a 2017 review of 52 studies in 28 
countries.
3 Ibid.


account. In fact, the United Nations (UN) noted that underreporting of cases of 
elder abuse is not new, and this can be attributed to various factors, such as 
“loyalty, shame, and embarrassment of the victims, who may be afraid of retaliation, 
including withdrawal of affection and care.”4
The rights to life, liberty, and security are universal and inalienable. Article 
XV, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution expressly states that “[t]he family has 
the duty to care for its elderly members but the State may also do so through just 
programs of social security.”5 In pursuit of this policy, the Philippines also ratified 
various international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant 
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, 
Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and through the passage of various 
measures specifically catering to senior citizens.
Thus, in compliance with the constitutional mandates, and to ensure that 
our senior citizens are given adequate protection from any form of abuse, this bill 
penalizes “Senior Citizen Abuse,” which shall include physical, sexual, 
psychological, or economic abuse, or neglect, and imposes penalties for the 
commission of such acts. This bill also expressly declares the nature of such 
crimes as “public offenses,” thereby allowing the prosecution of such violations 
through a complaint by any citizen having personal knowledge of the commission 
of the act. This measure also outlines the duties and responsibilities in responding 
to such cases, mandates the provision of various forms of support for victims, and 
other interventions to be able to respond to such cases appropriately and 
adequately, including the establishment of a Senior Citizen Desk in police stations 
and the conduct of massive information campaign on the provisions of this Act.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly
sought.
JOELIWLLANUEVA^
4 June 14, 2018. World Elder Abuse Day, 15 June 2018. Available at httos://www.ohchrorg/en/press- 
releases/2018/06Avorld-elcler-abuse-awareness-dav-15-iune-
2018#:~:text-Underreportina%20of%20cases%20of%20elder,withdrawal%20of%20affection%20and%20care 
(Last
accessed on June 19, 2023).
5 Article XV, Section 4, The 1987 Philippine Constitution


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session
SENATE 
S.B. No. 22
of ti)?
23 JUN27 P5 -*22
RECEIVED BY;
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT DEFINING AND PROHIBITING SENIOR CITIZEN ABUSE, 
PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Anti-Senior 
Citizens Abuse Act.”
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect and 
promote the rights, dignity, security, and welfare of senior citizens. Towards this end, 
the State shall work actively to eliminate all forms of senior citizen abuse, provide 
sanctions for the commission of any form of abuse inflicted upon senior citizens, and 
adopt a program for the prevention, deterrence, and crisis intervention in situations of 
senior citizen abuse.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act:
a) 
Senior Citizen refers to a person sixty (60) years old or above;
b) 
Senior Citizen Abuse refers to a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate 
action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust 
which causes harm or distress to a Senior Citizen. It includes, but is not limited 
to, the following acts:
1) 
Physical Abuse refers to acts that include bodily or physical harm. It 
includes striking, hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, shaking, slapping, 
kicking, pinching, burning, inappropriate use of drugs and physical 
restraints, force-feeding, and physical punishment of any kind;
2) 
Sexual Abuse refers to non-consensual acts which are sexual in nature. It 
includes, but is not limited to, (i) rape, acts of lasciviousness, treating one


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as a sex object, making demeaning and sexually suggestive remarks, 
physically attacking the sexual parts of the body, forcing one to watch 
obscene publications and indecent shows or forcing one to do indecent acts 
and/or make films or photographs thereof, sodomy, coerced nudity, and 
unwanted sexual touching: (ii) causing or attempting to cause one to 
engage in any sexual activity by force, threat of force, whether physical or 
other harm, or threat of physical or other harm or coercion; or (iii) 
prostituting the senior citizen;
3) 
Psychological Abuse refers to acts or omissions causing or is likely to cause 
mental or emotional suffering. It includes verbal assaults, insults, threats, 
intimidation, public ridicule, humiliation, mockery, vilification, harassment, 
and enforced social isolation;
4) 
Economic Abuse refers to acts that make or attempt to make a Senior 
Citizen financially dependent. It includes withdrawal of financial support, 
deprivation or threat of deprivation of financial resources and the right to 
the use and enjoyment of one’s property, control or misuse of the money or 
property of a Senior Citizen, encashment of a Senior Citizen's check without 
authorization or permission, forgery of a Senior Citizen's signature, 
coercion or deception of a Senior Citizen into signing any document, and 
the improper use of conservatorship, guardianship, or power of attorney;
5) 
Neglect refers to the failure of those responsible to feed, or provide shelter, 
health care, or protection to a Senior Citizen.
SEC. 4. Prohibited Acts Constituting Senior Citizen Abuse. — The crime
of Senior Citizen Abuse is committed through any of the following acts:
a) 
Causing, threatening, attempting to cause or placing a senior citizen in fear of 
imminent, physical abuse to a Senior Citizen;
b) 
Causing or attempting to cause sexual abuse to a Senior Citizen;
c) 
Causing or attempting to cause psychological abuse to a Senior Citizen;
d) 
Causing or attempting to cause economic abuse to a Senior Citizen;
e) 
Neglect of a Senior Citizen; and
f) 
Other analogous or similar acts.
SEC. 5. Penalties. — The crime of Senior Citizen Abuse under Section 4
hereof shall be punished according to the following rules:
a) 
Acts falling under Subsections (a) and (b) shall be punished in accordance with 
the penalties provided under the Revised Penal Code;
b) 
Acts falling under Subsection (c) shall be punishable by prision mayor,


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c) 
Acts falling under Sec. 4(d) shall be punishable by prision correcional\ and
d) 
Acts falling under Sec. 4(e) shall be punishable by arresto mayor, unless it results 
in a physical, psychological and other abuse.
The penalty provided herein shall be imposed in its maximum period if:
a) 
The offender-perpetrator has been previously convicted under this Act;
b) 
The offender is a relative of up to the 2nd degree of consanguinity or affinity to 
the victim;
c) 
The offender is an owner-operator, manager, or employee of a privately- 
operated, for profit or non-profit, elderly facility; and
d) 
The offender is a public official, staff or employee of a government-operated 
elderly residential/group home; Provided, That said public servant or employee 
can be subjected to suspension and/or termination according to administrative 
discipline procedures.
The above-mentioned penalties shall not preclude the filing of the appropriate 
civil case for damages or administrative cases. Administrative penalties shall include 
the suspension or revocation of accreditation or license to operate issued by the 
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
SEC. 6. Public Crime. — Senior Citizen Abuse shall be considered a public 
offense which may be prosecuted upon the filing of a complaint by any citizen having 
personal knowledge of the circumstances involving the commission of the crime.
SEC. 7. Prohibited Defense. — Being under the influence of alcohol, any illicit 
drugs, or any other mind-altering substance shall not be a defense under this Act.
SEC. 8. Persons Intervening Exempt from Liability. — Any person who 
responds or intervenes with force or violence that is greater than necessary to ensure 
the safety of the victim, shall not be liable for any criminal, civil, or administrative case 
resulting therefrom.
SEC. 9. Confidentiality. — All Senior Citizen Abuse cases shall be confidential. 
For this purpose, all persons shall respect the right to privacy of the victim in 
accordance with Republic Act No. 10173, or the Data Privacy Act of 2012, and other 
related laws, rules and regulations. Any person who shall make public any relevant or 
identifying information about the case or the victim shall be punished with 
imprisonment of one (1) year and a fine of Five Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(P500,000.00).
SEC. 10. Establishment of a Senior Citizens Help Desk. — Every barangay 
shall establish a Senior Citizen Help Desk and corresponding hotline number which 
shall provide immediate assistance to the victims of Senior Citizen Abuse. The Senior 
Citizen Help Desk may be manned by representatives of the Senior Citizens who are 
residents of the barangay or members of a local Senior Citizen organization


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designated and authorized by the Barangay Council or Chairperson. In addition, police 
stations across the country shall have a Senior Citizen Desk which shall attend to, and 
act on, complaints/cases covered by this Act.
SEC. 11. Response to a Request for Assistance. — In responding to a 
request for assistance, a barangay official or law enforcer shall have the following 
duties:
a) 
Respond immediately to a call for help or request for protection of the victim by 
entering the Senior Citizen victim's dwelling, if necessary, to assist the victim;
b) 
Confiscate any harmful object in the possession of the perpetrator, or one which 
is within plain view;
c) 
Transport the victim to a barangay hall, or to a clinic or hospital;
d) 
Assist the victim in removing personal belongings from the dwelling;
e) 
Ensure the enforcement of the Protection Order issued in accordance with 
Section 14 hereof;
f) 
Arrest the suspected perpetrator even without a warrant when any of the acts 
constituting Senior Citizen abuse defined hereof is occurring, or if based on 
personal knowledge, an act of violence has been committed, and there is 
imminent danger to the life or limb of the Senior Citizen; and
g) 
Immediately report the call for assistance to the DSWD, the Local Government 
Unit (LGU) or accredited Non-Government Organization (NGO).
SEC. 12. Healthcare Provider Response to Abuse. — Any healthcare 
provider, including, but not limited to, an attending physician, nurse, clinician, 
barangay health worker, therapist, social worker, or counselor who suspects abuse or 
has been informed by the victim of Senior Citizen Abuse shall:
a) 
Properly document any of the victim's physical, emotional or psychological 
injuries;
b) 
Properly record any of the victim's suspicions, observations and circumstances 
of the examination or visit;
c) 
Automatically provide the victim, free of charge, a medical certificate concerning 
the examination or visit;
d) 
Safeguard the records and make them available to the victim upon request at 
actual cost; and
e) 
Provide the victim immediate and adequate notice of the rights and remedies 
provided under this Act, including the services available to them.
SEC. 13. Rights of Victims. — In addition to their rights under existing laws.


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victims of Senior Citizen Abuse shall have the following rights:
a) 
To be treated with respect and dignity;
b) 
To avail of legal assistance from the Public Attorneys Office (PAO);
c) 
To be entitled to support services from the National Commission for Senior 
Citizens and other concerned agencies and LCDs;
d) 
To be entitled to all legal remedies and support as provided under the Family 
Code and other relevant laws; and
e) 
To be informed of their rights and the services available to them, including their 
right to apply for a protection order.
SEC. 14. Barangay Protection Order. — Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs) 
refer to the protection order issued by the Punong Barangay ordering the perpetrator 
to desist from committing the prohibited acts under Section 4 of this Act. A Punong 
Barangay who receives an application for a BPO shall issue the protection order to the 
applicant on the date of filing after ex parte determination of the basis of the application.
If the Punong Barangay is unavailable to act on the application for a BPO, the 
application shall be acted upon by any available Barangay Kagawad. If the BPO is 
issued by a Barangay Kagawad, the order must be accompanied by an attestation by 
the Barangay Kagawad that the Punong Barangay was unavailable at the time for the 
issuance of the BPO.
Immediately after the issuance of an ex parte BPO, the Punong Barangay or 
Barangay Kagawad shall personally serve a copy of the same on the respondent or 
direct any barangay official to effect its personal service. The parties may be 
accompanied by a non-lawyer advocate in any proceeding before the Punong 
Barangay.
Hearings on applications for a BPO shall have priority over all other 
proceedings.
BPOs shall be effective for a period of thirty (30) days.
SEC. 15. Mandatory Programs and Services for Victims. — The NCSC and 
other relevant agencies shall provide appropriate assistance to victims, including, but 
not limited to, temporary shelters, counseling, psycho-social services and/or recovery, 
rehabilitation programs and livelihood assistance.
The NCSC shall include services addressing Senior Citizen Abuse. All 
suspected cases of Senior Citizen Abuse must be reported in accordance with existing 
laws. The NCSC, in coordination with the relevant agencies and LGUs, shall maintain 
a Senior Citizen Abuse documentation and case monitoring system, and set up a 
databank to keep an accurate and reliable record of instances of abuse and violence 
committed against the Senior Citizens.


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SEC. 16. Formulation of the Program. — Within one (1) year from the 
effectivity of this Act, the NCSC and the Department of Justice (DOJ), in coordination 
with relevant stakeholders, shall formulate a comprehensive program for the protection 
of Senior Citizens against Senior Citizen Abuse.
SEC. 17. Duties of Other Government Agencies and LGUs. — Other 
government agencies and LGUs shall establish programs such as, but not limited to, 
education and information campaign and seminars or symposia on the nature, causes, 
incidences and consequences of Senior Citizen Abuse. They shall ensure that all 
personnel are aware of the provisions of this Act and the ways to prevent the 
commission of Senior Citizen Abuse as provided under the Act.
SEC. 18. Trainings and Capacity-Building for Intervenors. — All 
government agencies involved in responding to Senior Citizen Abuse cases shall be 
required to undergo education and training, to be conducted by the NCSC, to acquaint 
them with the following:
a) 
The nature, extent, causes, and risk factors of Senior Citizen Abuse;
b) 
The legal rights and remedies of victims of Senior Citizen Abuse;
c) 
Legal duties of barangay officials, LGU personnel, police officers, court 
authorities, and other persons offering assistance and protection to victims of 
Senior Citizen Abuse;
d) 
Available services and facilities for victims of Senior Citizen Abuse; and
e) 
Approaches in handling Senior Citizen Abuse cases to minimize injury, protect 
the privacy, promote the safety, and ensure the well-being of the victim.
The Department of Health (DOH), in partnership with relevant public and private 
institutions, shall provide capacity-building training on the prevention, detection, and 
management of psycho-social problems and other geriatric concerns of Senior 
Citizens, such as dementia and Alzheimer's Disease, among healthcare providers, 
home caregivers, and staff and employees of nursing homes and/or elderly residential 
facilities, specifically on handling Senior Citizen Abuse.
SEC. 19. Counseling and Rehabilitation of Offenders-Perpetrators. — The 
DSWD shall provide rehabilitative counseling and treatment of perpetrators towards 
learning constructive ways of coping with anger, emotional outbursts, or stress. 
Psychiatric treatment or confinement may also be recommended by the responsible 
authorities, if necessary.
SEC. 20. Funding. — The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this 
Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within six (6) months from 
the approval of this Act, the NCSC, in coordination with the DOJ, DSWD, DOH, 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Philippine National 
Police (PNP), and in consultation with concerned stakeholders, shall promulgate the


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implementing rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC. 22. Suppletory Application. — The Revised Penal Code and other 
applicable laws shall have suppletory application in the implementation of this Act.
SEC. 23. Separability Clause. — If any portion or provision of this Act is 
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are 
not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 24. Repealing Clause. — All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, 
executive orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or 
parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act 
are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SEC. 25. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,