Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR CITIZENS, 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11916, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Various economic and social developments over the past decades have 
led to higher life expectancy for the Filipinos. Yet, this increase in life 
expectancy, coupled with reduction in fertility rates, means that the 
Philippines is projected to have a gradually ageing population by 20451. This 
means that for the years to come, a majority of Filipinos will grow old and will 
have to face major challenges of poverty and inequality brought about by the 
lack of support and social protection for the elderly. 
While the elderly face greater health problems that come with old age, 
some of them still want or need to continue working, given the opportunity, 
but are faced with barriers of age discrimination as well as the mandatory 
retirement age of 65. If they failed to secure a social pension while they were 
younger, they can only avail of a monthly stipend amounting to One Thousand 
Pesos (Php1,000) once they prove themselves to be “frail, sickly or with 
disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation 
or financial assistance from his/her relatives.” In some cases, the existing 
validation process has resulted in many senior citizens not being included in 
the list, or worse, included people who do not fall within the definition indigent 
senior citizens as provided by law. 
After years of providing social pension for indigent senior citizens, the 
program has in some way helped the elderly, but it remains lacking in terms 
of establishing social protection for all. 
1 Philippine Statistics Authority, “2010 Census-Based Population Projections in Collaboration with the Inter-
Agency Working Group on Population Projections.” 
August 16, 2022
8:01 am
3642


The current social protection system provides invaluable support to a 
selection of vulnerable older people, but still has a long way to go toward 
making a substantial contribution to addressing the economic challenges of 
the elderly in the Philippines. 
A universal social pension would help alleviate these problems faced by 
the elderly by establishing a system that offers virtually no exclusion errors. 
It provides social security for low-income informal sector workers, while 
creating eligibility criteria that are transparent, easy to understand, and limits 
opportunities for corruption and clientelism. More importantly, it affirms the 
right of the elderly to social security as it removes the criterion of having to 
prove oneself to be frail or sickly just to be given stipends. Thus, this bill aims 
to secure not only social protection, but the dignity of the senior citizens of 
the country. 
This bill seeks to grant universal social pension for senior citizens, 
whether or not they are indigent, by proposing a minimum of One Thousand 
Pesos (Php1,000.00) per month to all senior citizens. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
REP. PM VARGAS   
Fifth District, Quezon City 


Republic of the Philippines 
House of Representatives 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. _______ 
INTRODUCED BY REP. PM VARGAS 
AN ACT 
GRANTING UNIVERSAL SOCIAL PENSION TO SENIOR CITIZENS, 
FURTHER AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, AS AMENDED BY 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994 AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11916, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, 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 “Universal Social 
Pension Act”.   
SECTION 2. Amendatory Provision. – Section 5, Paragraph (H), Number (1) 
of the Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9994, and 
further amended by Republic Act No. 11916, is hereby further amended to 
read as follows: 
“Section 5. Government Assistance. – The government shall provide the 
following: 
x x x 
(h) Additional Government Assistance
(1) Social Pension
“[Indigent senior] ALL SENIOR citizens shall be entitled to a monthly
stipend amounting to not less than One Thousand Pesos
(PhP1,000.00) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical
needs of senior citizens.
PROVIDED, THAT SUCH SENIOR CITIZEN DOES NOT RECEIVE
A PENSION OF MORE THAN THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
3642


 
 
(PHP3,500.00) FROM THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE 
SYSTEM, THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM, AND OTHER PUBLIC 
OR PRIVATE SOCIAL PROTECTION SYSTEM” 
 
x x x 
 
 
SECTION 3. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders or rules 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 5. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,