Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS.
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 1223

Introduced by Representative Jefferson F. Khonghun

AN ACT GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES TO
SENIOR CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “AN ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE
CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO NATION BUILDING, GRANT
BENEFITS AND SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES”

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This legislation aims to expand senior citizen’s rights and privileges insofar
as pension is concerned thereby maximizing the benefits that they should lawfully
receive.

Republic Act (RA) No. 7432 also known as An Act to Maximize the
Contribution of Senior Citizens to Nation Building, Grant Benefits and Special
Privileges and for other purposes, is a law enacted in 1992 and is one of our
legislative body’s earliest approaches in complying with the Constitution’s mandate
of taking care of its elderly members. This law was followed by RA No. 9257: the
Expanded Senior Citizens Act 2003, which granted additional benefits and
privileges to senior citizens, hence, the amending the former law. At the latest,
Republic Act no. 9994: the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 was enacted to
further amended provisions of RA 7432.

Now, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 introduced amendments
that are comprehensive enough to fill in most of the gaps of the old law, and is
sufficient to address the needs of the elderly members of our community.
Nevertheless, RA No. 9994 should be reviewed with the primary objective of
providing a more responsive and accountable structure in favor of our senior
citizens.


The purpose of this bill is to expound on the laws and provisions, as well as rules
and regulations governing, the pensions awarded to our senior citizens. It seeks to
increase the amount provided to them in avoidance of unwarranted stress over
needs that demand expenses, especially that of their health wellness. This bill shall
tap into both public and private agencies and instrumentalities that award these
pensions in order to device more means and methods of providing their recipients
the service that they deserve, thus taking advantage the technologies and computer
programs of today. Moreover, this bill shall see to it that the applications of our
senior citizens in the awarding their respective pensions shall be made at the
earliest opportunity.

Time and again, we Filipinos are taught to respect our elders, for they have raised
us to be the people we are today. This bill, when passed into law, shall serve as our
token of gratitude for their unconditional love and guidance.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
‘Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1229

Introduced by Representative Jefferson F. Khonghun

AN ACT GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES TO
SENIOR CITIZENS, FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS
AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “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 the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as “Expanded
Rights, Benefits, and Pension of Senior Citizens Act.”

SECTION 2. /eclaration of State Policy. — The State provides that the
family has the duty to care its elderly members but the State may also do so
through just programs of social security. The continued care, safety and
welfare and senior citizens is a responsibility shared by the family and the
State. In furtherance of health and wellness of its citizens, the State shall
adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development
which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social
services available to all the people at affordable cost, giving priority to the
elderly and the underprivileged.

SECTION 3. Section 4 (a), (c), and (1) 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. 4 Privileges for the Senior Citizen's. -


The senior citizens shall be entitled to the following:

(a) The grant of the twenty-five percent (25%) discount and exemption
from the value-added tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of the
following goods and services from all establishments, for the exclusive
use and enjoyment or availment of the senior citizen

(b) the grant of a minimum of seven percent (7%) discount relative to the
monthly utilization of water and electricity supplied by the public
utilities: Provided, That a senior citizen resides, and is a member of the
household regardless as to whether the individual meters for the
forgoing utilities is in the name of the senior citizen: Provided, further,
That the monthly consumption does not exceed one hundred kilowatt
hours (100 kWh) of electricity and thirty cubic meters (30 m3) of water:
Provided, furthermore, That the privilege is granted per household
regardless of the number of senior citizen residing therein;

(1) death benefit assistance of a minimum of Five thousand pesos
(Php5,000.00) shall be given to the nearest surviving relative of a
deceased senior citizen which amount shall be subject to adjustment
due to inflation in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the
DSWD.

SECTION 4. Section 5 (a), (h) (1) of the same Act, as amended, is hereby
further amended to read as follows:

SEC.5. Government Assistance. ~The government shall provide the following:
(a)Employment
Xxx

Private entities that will employ senior citizens as employees, upon the
effectivity of this Act, shall be exempt from the payment of income tax:
Provided, however, That if such employment shall continue for a period of at
least one (1) year, then such senior citizen shall be entitled to a deduction
from their gross income equivalent to fifteen percent (15%) of the total
amount paid as salaries and wages to senior citizens subject to the income
tax table provided under the Republic Act no. 10963 otherwise known as the
‘Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law.

(h) Additional Government Assistance
(1) Social Pension
Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting


to One thousand pesos (Php1,000.00) 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.

SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60)
days, from the effectivity of this Act, the DSWD shall formulate and adopt
amendments to the existing rules and regulations implementing Republic
Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9994, to carry out the
objectives of this Act, in consultation with the Department of Finance,
Department of Tourism, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating
Council (HUDCC), the DOLE, the DOJ, the DOH, the DILG, the DTI, the
DOH, the DOTC, the NEDA, the DepED, the TESDA, the CHED, and five (5)
NGO's or Pos for the senior citizens duly accredited by the DSWD.

SECTION 6. Funding Source. ~ The Necessary appropriations for the
operation and maintenance of the OSCA shall be appropriated and approved
by the LGUs concerned. For national government agencies, the requirements
to implements the provisions of this Act shall be included in their respective
budgets: Provided, That the funds to be used for the national health program
and for the vaccination of senior citizens in the first year of the DOH and
thereafter, as a line under the DOH budget in the subsequent Gencral
Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, further, That the monthly social pension
for indigent senior citizens in the first year implementation shall be added to
the regular appropriations of the DSWD budget in the subsequent GAA.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - All law, executive orders, rules and
regulations or any part hereof inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed
or modified accordingly.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any pat of provision of this Act
shall be declared unconstitutional and invalid, such declaration shall not
invalidate other parts thereof which shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in
newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,