Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. AND 
HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Regard, respect, and care for our elders are deeply embedded in our culture. This is 
reflected in our very own Constitution, which states that it is the duty of the family to 
take care of the elderly while the State may design just programs of social security.  
This measure proposes long-term care programs for Senior Citizens that shall 
endeavor to make essential goods, health, and other social services available to all 
the people at affordable cost. This is because poverty incidence in our country is at 
its highest among senior citizens. A majority of our senior citizens simply rely on 
pensions, gifts, or some allowances given by relatives to make ends meet. Some are 
even doing odd jobs to give additional financial support to other family members.  
This bill intends to be a vehicle for promoting quality and long-term care and services 
to Senior Citizens. This includes the grant of affordable and better service to the 
elders that will alleviate their difficulties regarding services to that they are entitled. It 
also seeks to help Senior Citizens in improving their total well-being and their full 
participation in society, considering that senior citizens are an integral part of 
Philippine society. 
In consideration of the foregoing premises, the passage of this bill is earnestly 
sought.  
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
May 9, 2023
8:00 am
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. AND 
HON. BRIAN RAYMUND S. YAMSUAN 
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 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 Policies. – 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 labor. For this purpose, the State undertakes to 
establish and initiate programs as well as to support 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.
A “senior citizens” refers to any persons 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.
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c. 
Dependent senior citizen refers to those persons who are either frail, sickly, 
suffering from any disability, and has no other means to support his/her 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/or services, among others 
a. 
Social Protection shall cover programs that seek to reduce poverty and 
vulnerability 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. 
a.1. Social Welfare. Curative and preventive interventions that seek to support the 
special needs of Senior Citizens and to reduce risks associated with old age 
shall be provided. These shall include activities aimed at protecting senior 
citizens from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. Moreover, prevention 
and provision of support services 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, training, and awareness of the problems confronting senior citizens and 
equip the public with the necessary know-how to prevent and detect problem 
areas concerning senior citizens. 
a.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. 
a.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 pf old age. Economic and 
financial support through other innovative social insurance and pension 
schemes especially designated for families caring for dependents/disabled 
senior citizens shall likewise e endeavored. 
a.4. Social Safety Nets. The stop-gap mechanism 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 the 
development of programs that will allow senior citizens to remain actively 
engaged in as many social, economic and community activities as possible. 
 
c. 
Advancing Health and Well-being. Integrated and innovative elderly-focused 
health and social services 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 health facilities, and other community-based facilities. The said program 
shall contemplate the following among others: 
c.1.  Homecare and hospice for the frail and dependent elderly and medical and 
psychological support for patients requiring continued medical assistance 
after discharge. 
c.2.  Development and provisions of geriatric training at h family and community 
level. 
c.3. Mandatory PHILHEALTH coverage for non-contributory senior citizens 
especially the poor. 
 
d. 
Enabling and Supportive Environment. Provisions of home nursing for the 
elderly, facilities for respite care, programs on counseling, professional 
guidance, and emotional support, and low-cot, community-based activities 
integrated into existing community health programs as well as strengthening of 
inter-generational relationships. 
 
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 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, the various 
local government units and the Department Social Welfare and Development 
(DSWD). 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.  Appropriation. – 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 the 
necessary rules and regulations necessary for the orderly implementation of this Act. 
 
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. – If any part 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, rules and regulations or parts 
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
 
SECTION 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of 
general circulation. 
 
Approved,