Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City
Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

5632

HOUSE BILL NO.

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Introduced by Representatives Paolo Z. Duterte,
Isidro T. Ungab and Vincent J. Garcia

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to provide social pension to all senior citizens in the
country.

Section 4, Article XV of the Constitution provides 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.”

Republic Act (RA) No. 7432, as amended by RA 9994, otherwise known
as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” provides for social pension for
indigent senior citizens to augment their daily subsistence and other medical
needs. Many elderly members of the community were grateful for the
assistance which gave them relief. However, a large number of senior citizens
are still excluded from the program. Paragraph (h) (1), Section 5 of RA 7432,
as amended, mentioned that the social pension for indigent senior citizens is
500.00.

Under the law, an indigent person refers to any elderly who is frail, sickly
or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income,
compensation or financial assistance from relatives to support the indigent
person’s basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD). This excludes other senior citizens who are not sick or
disabled, and who have pension or other sources of income but who are
nonetheless in dire need of additional assistance from the government because
of the rising prices of basic commodities and medical services.


Senior members of the family continue to provide for their family. This
gives them a strong sense of purpose and fulfillment that even as they are
already in the twilight years of their lives, they do not burden their loved ones
since they are able to take care of themselves.

Thus, this proposed measure seeks to grant the social pension, as an
additional government assistance, to all senior citizens in the country, whether
they are indigent or not. This will also ease the burden of the DSWD personnel
and other local offices in the evaluation of senior citizens who will qualify to
avail of the monthly social pension.

In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is highly and earnestly
recommended.

t

PAOLO UTERTE

ISIDRO T. UNGAB VINCENT J. GARCIA


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5632

Introduced by Representatives Paolo Z. Duterte,
Isidro T. Ungab and Vincent J. Garcia

AN ACT
PROVIDING SOCIAL PENSION TO ALL SENIOR CITIZENS,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED “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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Paragraph (h) (1), Section 5 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. 5. Government Assistance. — The government shall
provide the following:

“(@) xxx

“XXX

“(h) Additional Government Assistance

“() Social Pension


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“ALL [Indigent] senior citizens shall be entitled to a
monthly stipend amounting to Five hundred pesos (Php500.00)
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.

SEC. 2. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the
Secretary of Social Welfare and Development shall, in consultation with the
Department of Finance and Department of Health, issue the necessary
implementing rules and regulations to carry out the objectives of this Act.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,