"Lose OF REPRESENTATIVES
RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES = PATE
Quezon City TIME:
ev MA
SEVENTEENTH satel C |

First Regular Session UNT
30

House Bill No.
Introduced by Representative Estrellita B. Suansing

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Philippine Constitution, as the highest law of the land, provides the
following provisions for senior citizens, to wit:

“Article Il. Declaration of Principles and State Policies

“Section 10. The State Shall Promote Social Justice In All
Phases Of National Development.

“Section 11. The State Values the Dignity of Every Human
Person and Guarantees Full Respect for Human Rights.

XK XXX 100K
“Article XIll. Social Justice and Human Rights

“Section 11. 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 costs. There
shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick,
elderly, disabled, women, and children. The state shall
‘endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers.

peed XXX XXX
“Article XV. The Family

“Section 4. The family has the duty to care for its elderly
members but the State may also do so through just programs
of social security.”

100K XXX XXX


The Global AgeWatch Index‘ 2015 revealed that the Philippines ranked 6”
among 23 Asia-Pacific countries, and 50" overall among 94 countries worldwide, as
the best country for older people.? Out of the four domains used by the Global
AgeWatch Index in ranking the well-being of older people, the country ranks highest
in the enabling environment domain, which reflects the satisfaction of older people
with civic freedom in the region; ranks high in the capability domain, reflecting the
coping capacity and capability of older people; and ranking as one of the lowest in the
income security domain (due to low pension coverage) and in the health domain (due
to low life expectancy at age 60).>

The same Index also shows that the world population is ageing at that by the
year 2050, the number of older people aged 60 and above shall comprise 21.5%, or
nearly 2.1 billion, of the total world population.

In view thereof, the State should engage in a more vigorous role in protecting,
preserving and even improving the welfare of senior citizens in the country. This bill
seeks to provide adequate and effective social services to all members of society,
especially senior citizens, so they may live prosperously and enjoy the fruits of their
labor. For this purpose, the State undertakes to establish, initiate and support
programs, including endeavors, aimed at promoting and advancing the social and
economic well-being of senior citizens.

If enacted into law, the bill will reduce poverty and vulnerability to risks of senior
citizens, as well as enhance their social status and rights and promoting and protecting
them against hazards and sudden loss of income, thereby improving their capacity to
manage risks.

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

RELLITA B. SUANSING
1* District, Nueva Eqija

+ The Global AgeWatch Index is the first global index to rank countries according to the social and economic
well-being of older people, developed and constructed from international data sets drawn from the United
Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Bank, World Health Organization, International
Labour Organization, UNESCO and the Gallup World Poll.

? Global AgeWatch Index 2015 Insight Report

* http://www-helpage.org/global-agewatch/population-ageing-data/country-ageing-data/2country=Philippines


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

rc
House Bill No.3 075
Introduced by Representative Estrellita 8. Suansing

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AND INSTITUTIONALIZING LONG-TERM CARE FOR SENIOR
CITIZENS, PROVIDING 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 “The Long-Term Care
for Senior Citizens Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State recognizes the invaluable
contribution of senior citizens to the national development program. Accordingly, it is
hereby declared the policy of the State to provide adequate and effective social
services to all members of society, especially senior citizens so they may live
prosperously and enjoy the fruits of their labor. For this purpose, the State undertakes
to establish, initiate, and support programs, including endeavors, aimed at promoting
and advancing the social and economic well-being of senior citizens.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the following
terms shall be construed to mean as follows:

A. Senior citizen refers to any person as defined in Section 3 of Republic
Act No. 7876, otherwise known as the Senior Citizen Center Act.

B. Long-term care refers to a sustained provision of comprehensive
programs and services to senior citizens with the view of enabling them to have
dignified, healthy, and secured lives.

C. Dependent senior citizen refers to those persons who are frail, sickly,
suffering from any disability, or have no other means to support their individual basic
needs

SECTION 4. National Long-term Care Program Framework. - A national
long-term care program for senior citizens is hereby established, which shall embody
the following core programs and services, among others:


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A. Social Protection. - This shall cover programs that seek to reduce
poverty and vulnerability to risks and enhance the social status and rights of senior
citizens by promoting and protecting them against hazards and sudden loss of income
and improving senior citizens’ capacity to manage risks.

1. Social Welfare. - Curative and preventive interventions that seek to
support the special needs of senior citizens and to reduce risk associated with old age
shall be provided. These shall include activities aimed at protecting senior citizens
from abuse, exploitation and discrimination. Moreover, provision of support services
and prevention against physical, emotional and financial abuse, sexual exploitation,
neglect and abandonment of senior citizens shall be established within the family and
at the community level. Towards this end, trainings and awareness campaigns shall
be initiated to raise the public's awareness of the problems confronting senior citizens
and to equip the public with the necessary know-how to prevent and detect problem
areas concerning senior citizens.

2. Livelihood Job Generation Program. - Senior citizens shall be
specifically targeted in livelihood programs and other poverty alleviation programs.
Further, livelihood programs shall guarantee a minimum income and shall be designed
in a manner that increases senior citizens’ productivity.

3. Social Insurance. - Existing social insurance programs shall be
modified and expanded to guarantee that senior citizens shall be adequately protected
from loss of income and unemployment as a result of old age. Economic and financial
support through other innovative social insurance and pension schemes especially
designed for families caring for dependents/disabled senior citizens shall likewise be
endeavored

4. Social Safety Nets. - Stop-gap mechanisms or urgent and immediate
responses shall be instituted to shield senior citizens from vulnerabilities arising from
disasters, emergencies, and displacement due to development projects and natural
and man-made calamities.

B. Senior Citizens and Development. - This shall include mainstreaming
activities such as lifelong, education programs for aging preparation and non-formal
education at the local level for those sixty (60) years old and above and development
and programs which will allow senior citizens to remain actively engaged in as many
social, economic, and community activities as possible.

C. Advancing Health and Well-Being. - An integrated and innovative
elderly-focused health and social services shall be made available at the local level
Particular emphasis shall be made on disease prevention, health promotion and
wellness of mind, body and spirit. Health services shall comprise preventive, curative
and rehabilitative health care services in all government and private hospitals, local


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health facilities and other community-based facilities. The said program shall
contemplate the following, among others.

1. Homecare and hospice for the frail and dependent elderly and medical
and psychological support for patients requiring continued medical assistance after
discharge; and

2. Development and provision of geriatric training at the family and
community levels.

D. Enabling and Supportive Environment. ~ Provision of home nursing
for the elderly, facilities for respite care, programs on counseling, professional
guidance and emotional support and low-cost, community-based activities integrated
into existing community health programs as well as strengthening of inter-generational
relationships shall be pursued.

Nothing above prevents the agencies tasked to implement the provisions of this
Act from introducing other social services and programs designed to promote the
National Long-Term Care Program for senior citizens.

SECTION 5. Implementing Agencies. — The National Long-Term Care
Program for senior citizens shall be implemented jointly by the Department of Finance,
Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of
Social Welfare and Development, and the various local government units. The
National Inter Agency Monitoring Board created under Republic Act No. 9257,
otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, shall take the lead in
monitoring the implementation of this Act.

SECTION 6. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act of the
year following its enactment into law and thereafter, the local government units shall
undertake the maintenance of the institutions established under this Act.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development,
after due consultations with the other implementing agencies, shall promulgate rules
and regulations necessary for the orderly implementation of this Act.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to
be in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, issuances, orders, rules
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, modified
or amended accordingly.


SECTION 10. Effectivity.— This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,