EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1 2 7 0
Senate
of tlj? fe r tr f U r p
20 
J^N 16 P4«4
RECliVlO m';
Introduced by SENATOR LEILA M. DE LIMA
AN ACI
AMENDING SECITON 2 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERW ISE 
KNOWN AS THE CENTENARIANS ACT OF 2016 AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
The country owes a big part of its development to its elderly population, the 
Senior Citizens, who, during their youth and even thereafter, have made meaningful 
contributions to our nation. As one of the vulnerable sectors of society. Article XIII, 
Sec. 11 of the 1987 Constitution guarantees preferential treatment to them, affording 
“priority for the needs of the underprivileged sick, elderly, disabled, women, and 
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers”.
At present, we are confronted with an undeniable reality that the country is 
mo\ing towards an aging population \Nith a declining life expectancy and shorter life 
span for our citizens. According to the World Health Organization’s statistics 
published in 2018, the average person residing in the Philippines has a lifespan of 
69.3 years. This average shows that we are three years shorter than the global 
average of age 72. More dramatic is the shorter lifespan for Filipino men which is 
66.2 years compared to the world\%ide ax erage of 69.2 years. Women residing in the 
Philippines typically outlive men with an average age of 72.6 while the global 
benchmark is 74.2 years for females.1 As such, it is already a blessing if our 
countrymen manage to survive to become octogenarians, much less centenarians.
1 W o r ld  H e a lth  O rg a n iz a tio n  (N A ) G lo b a l H e a lth  O b s e rv a to ry  (G H O ) d a ta . R e trie v e d  fr o m : 
h t t p s : / / w w w . w h o . in t / g h o / c o u n t r ie s / p h l/ e n / . A c c e s s e d  la s t 5 J a n u a ry  2 0 2 0 .


With the end in view of covering more elderly Filipinos to enjoy the benefits of 
Republic Act No. 10868, or the Centenarians Act of 2016, by advancing the cash gift 
of the law to our senior citizens upon reaching the age of eighty (80), ninety (90), 
and one hundred ( lO O ) ,  respectively, we can support them and their families to cope 
up and afford rising costs of living and healthcare expenses incurred by their 
advancing age and needs. By staggering the distribution of this assistance, we ensure 
our beloved elders to have more opportunities to enjoy the blessings of the law.
Approval of this proposed measure is most earnestly sought.
LLJILA M. DE LImK
4


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 1 2 7 0
Sl/:1p 
^L'uat^
(M itf ritljf feftrrlflrf
20 JAN 16 P4«4
RECEl
Introduced by SENATOR LEILA M. DE LIMA
AN ACT
AMENDING SECTION 2 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERW ISE 
KNOMTN AS THE CENTENARIANS ACT OF 2016 AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled.
1 
SECTION 1. Sec. 2 of Republic Act No. 10868, otherwise known as
2 
Centenarians Act of 2016, is hereby amended to read, as follows:
3 
"Sec. 2. Letter of Felicitation and Cash Gift. - All Filipinos who reach the age of
4 
EIGHTY (80) YEARS OLD, NINETY (90) YEARS OLD, AND one hundred
5 
(100) years old, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, shall be honoured
6 
with:
7 
[ (a) A Letter of Felicitation from the President of the Philippines
8 
congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity; and ]
9 
[b] (a) A [Centenarian] CASH Gift in the amount of TEN THOUSAND
10 
PESOS (P 1 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 ) UPON REACHING THE AGE OF EIGHTY (80)
11 
YEARS 
OLD, 
THIRTY 
THOUSAND 
PESOS 
(P30,0 0 0 .0 0 ) 
UPON
12 
REACHING THE AGE OF NINETT (90) YEARS OLD, and [one hundred]
13 
SIXTT thousand pesos (P 6 0 ,0 0 0 .0 0 ) UPON REACHING THE AGE OF ONE
14 
HUNDRED (100) YEARS OLD.


1 
PROVIDED, THAT ALL QUALIFIED FILIPINOS W HO HAVE
2 
REACHED THE AGE OF EIGHTY (8 o ) YEARS OLD AND NINETY (90)
3 
YEARS OLD PRIOR TO THE E FF E C IIV IIT  OF TH IS ACT SHALL
4 
RECEIVE THE TOTAL CASH GIFT/S CORRESPONDING THERETO; AND
5 
B) A LETTER OF FELICITATION FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE
6 
PH ILIPPIN ES CONGRATULATING THE CELEBRANT UPON REACHING
7 
THE AGE OF ONE HUNDRED (lOO) YEARS OLD FOR HIS OR HER
8 
LONGEVITY.
9 
Sec. 2. Repealing Clause. -  All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
10 
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of
11 
this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
12 
Sec. 3. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
13 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved.