Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._29 34)

Introduced by Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza and Rep. David L. Kho

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to strengthen Republic Act No. 9994 otherwise known
as “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010”.

Section 9, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states:

“The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order
that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation
and free the people from poverty through policies that provide
adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising
standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”

We recognize that the senior citizens had made valuable
contributions to our country, and existing laws have granted benefits for
them, significantly, Republic Act No. 9994, otherwise known as “Expanded
Senior Citizens Act of 2010" which gives full support to the well-being of
the elderly, by granting them twenty percent (20%) discount from all
establishments relative to the utilization of services in hotels and similar
lodging establishments, restaurants, recreation centers, and purchase of
medicines in all establishments for the exclusive use or enjoyment of
senior citizens, including funeral and burial services for the death of senior
citizens, as well as on admission fees charged by theaters, cinema liuses,
concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure
and amusement, as well as on medical and dental services, diagnostic and
laboratory fees provided under Section 4 (e) thereof, including
professional fees of attending doctors in all private hospitals and medical
facilities; fare for domestic air and sea travel, in public railways, skyways
and bus fare; and basic commodities;


Many business establishments refused to grant the 20 percent
discount on the aforesaid purchases, which therefore defeats the purpose
of R.A. No. 9994.

Although RA 9994 provides that the Senior citizens may file
complaints or charges against the restaurant and other establishments
before the Department of Justice or the provincial, city or municipal trial
courts, through the assistance/help of the Office of the Senior Citizens
Affairs (OSCA), however, no complaint whatsoever has been filed for
several reasons, one of which is due to lack of information of the general
public;

It is in this regard that a TASK FORCE, under the administrative
supervision and control of the respective CITY and MUNCIPAL MAYOR of
each city and municipality, is indispensable and necessary to monitor,
investigate, and keep an eye on all business establishments, to fully
implement the law. The TASK FORCE shall likewise file complaints, in
behalf of the Senior Citizens, on those business establishments who refuse
to honor the 20% discount.

In view of the Christmas season when many of our elderly would
necessarily need the 20% discount, it is urgent that a TASK FORCE be

created in each city and municipality to give full force and legal effect to
RA 9994.

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

GODQFREDO V. ARQUIZA

DAVID L. KHO


Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. 293)

Introduced by Rep. Godofredo V. Arquiza and Rep. David L. Kho

AN ACT CREATING A TASK FORCE
IN EVERY CITY AND MUNICIPALITY
TO SUPPORT AND REINFORCE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994

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 the “An Act Creating a
Task Force in every City and Municipality to Support and Reinforce
Republic Act No. 9994.”

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. - Section 10 of the Declaration of
Principles and State Policies of the 1987 Constitution provides: "The State
shall provide social justice in all phases of national development." Further,
Article XIII, Section 11 provides: " The State shall adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health and other social services available to all
the people at affordable cost. Priority shall be given to the
underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women and children." Consonant
with these constitutional principles the following are the declared policies
of this Act:

(a) To recognize the rights of the senior citizens in using their
Senior Citizen Cards and avail of the 20% discount under R.A.
9994;

(b) To create a TASK FORCE in every city and municipality to
monitor, investigate, and file complaints, in behalf of the Senior
Citizens, on those business establishments who refuse to
honor the 20% discount or who violate the provisions of R.A.
9994; and


(c) To recognize the vital role of the Local Government in the
welfare of poor senior citizens and to actively seek their
partnership;

In accordance with these policies, this Act aims to:

(1) create a TASK FORCE in every city and municipality
which will adopt measures to monitor and investigate all
business establishments who refuse to honor the 20%
discount allowed by law to Senior Citizens and as such
other violation of the provisions of R.A. 9994;

(2) file complaints, in behalf of the Senior Citizens, with
the Department of Justice and the Metropolitan Trial
Courts against the erring business establishments;

(3) adopt stricter measures to fully implement R.A. 9994,

Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, these terms are
defined as follows:

(a) "Senior citizen" or "elderly" shall mean any resident citizen
of the Philippines at least sixty (60) years old or older as
defined in Republic Act No. 9994, otherwise known as the
“Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.”

(b) "Task Force" shall mean a group of persons, appointed by
the City/Municipal Mayor, which will strictly monitor,
investigate and file complaints against business
establishments who refuse to honor the 20% discount allowed
by law to Senior Citizens and other violation under R.A. 9994;
and

(c) "Local Government unit " shall mean - as defined in the
Local Government Code, as amended;

Section 4. TASK FORCE. - There shall be a group of persons, appointed by
the City/Municipal Mayor, which will strictly monitor, investigate business
establishments who refuse to honor the 20% discount allowed by law to
Senior Citizens and who violates the provisions of R.A. 9994;


Section 5. Qualifications. - To become a member of the Task Force, he/she
must be:

a) a Filipino citizen, 18 years old and above;
b) with no derogatory criminal or administrative record; and

c) aperson of proven integrity and honesty;

Section 6. Government Assistance. - The Government shall provide the
following:

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DswD),
in coordination with Local Government Units (LGUs) and the
Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), shall institute a
program in pursuance of the objectives of this Act.

The Local Government Units shall have the following functions:

(a) To plan, implement and monitor yearly programs in
pursuance of the objectives of this Act;

(b) To maintain and regularly update, on a quarterly
basis, the business establishments who have violated RA
9994 and make a report on the steps taken by the TASK
FORCE against them;

(c) To serve as a General Information and Liaison Center
to fully implement RA 9994; and

(d) To assist the Senior citizens in filing complaints or
charges against erring business establishments who
refuse to comply with RA 9994 before the Department of
Justice or the city or municipal trial court.

Section 7. Municipal/ City Responsibility. - \t shall be the responsibility of
the Municipal/City, through the Mayor to prominently display posters,
stickers, and other notices that will generate public awareness of the rights
and privileges of the senior citizens, to ensure that the provisions of this
Act are implemented to its fullest.


Section. 8. Partnership of the National and Local Government Units. -
The national government and local government units shall undertake to
ensure the implementation of this Act in their respective territorial
jurisdictions.

Section 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of Social
Welfare and Development, within ninety (90) days from the approval of
this Act, shall promulgate the implementing, rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of the provisions of this Act in consultation and
coordination with the Department of Interior and Local Government.

Section. 10. Appropriation. - The necessary appropriation for the
operation of this Act shall be appropriated and approved by the local
government units concerned. The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act upon its effectivity shall be charged out of the funds
of the Office of the President. Thereafter, any such sum as shall be needed
for the regular implementation of this Act shall be included in subsequent
General Appropriations Act following its enactment into law.

Section 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days
after publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers
of general circulation.

Approved,

GO) V. ARQUIZA

DAVID L. KHO