HUMAN RIGHTS: SENIOR CITIZENS

Senior Citizens in the Society

Judges and justices

Senators & congressmen
Professors
&
school
principals
Lay leaders
Lolos and lolas

Live in nursing homes

Sick in the hospitals
Begging on the streets

RA 8425: Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act:

included them as one of the basic (or disadvantaged) sectors in Philippine
society.
MAIN ISSUES OF SENIOR CITIZENS:
1) PENSION
2) HEALTHCARE
3) HOUSING
Accdg. to NSCB: senior citizens placed 6 th highest in poverty incidence among the 8
basic sectors in the Philippines.
Constitutional Mandates

Article II, Sections 10 and 11

The State shall provide social justice in all phases of national development
and that the State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees
full respect for human rights.

Article XIII, Section 11

The Sate 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 cost.
There shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly,
disabled, women and children.

Article XV, Section 4

It is the duty of the family to take care of its elderly members while the State
may design programs of social security for them.

Philippine Legislations

RA
RA
RA
RA
RA
RA

344: Accessibility Law of 1982

7432 : Senior Citizens Act of 1992
7876 : Senior Citizens Center Act of the Philippines
8425: Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act
9257 : Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003
9994 : Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010

Who are Senior Citizens?

RA 7432 :
An Act to Maximize the
Contribution of Senior
Citizens to Nation
Building, Grant
Benefits and Special
Privileges and For
Other Purpose
Resident
of
the
Phils.
at least 60 y.o. with
income
of
<P60,000
per
annum

RA 9237:
Expanded Senior Citizens
Act of 2003)

Resident of the Phils.

At least 60 y.o.

RA 9994:
Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2010)

Resident of the
Phils.
At least 60 y.o.
also:
senior
citizens
with
"dual
citizenship"
status provided they
prove:

their Filipino citizenship

and have at least six (6)
months residency in the
Philippines.
BENEFITS OF SENIOR CITIZENS
RA 7432 :
An Act to Maximize the
Contribution of Senior
Citizens to Nation
Building, Grant Benefits
and Special Privileges
and For Other Purpose

RA 9237:
Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2003)

RA 9994:
Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2010)

1)
-

20% discount on:

Transpo
Lodging
Restaurants
Recreation centers

1) 20% discount on:

- Medicines
- Medical fees & dental
services on private
estab.
- Transpo
(land,
domestic air & sea
travel)
- Lodging
- Restaurants
- Recreation centers
- Funeral
&
burial
services

1) 20% discount & VAT

Exemption:
- Medicines;
medical
fees & services on
private
establishments;
- Transpo
(land,
domestic air & sea
travel)
- Lodging
- Restaurants
- Recreation centers
- Funeral
&
burial
services

2)
Minimum
of
20%
discount
on
places
of
culture,
leisure
&
amusement
BENEFITS contd
RA 7432 :
RA 9237:
An Act to Maximize the
Expanded Senior
Contribution of Senior
Citizens Act of 2003)
Citizens to Nation
Building, Grant Benefits
and Special Privileges
and For Other Purpose
3) Income tax exemption, prov. income poverty level

RA 9994:
Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2010)

Income
tax
exemption
on
minimum
wage
earners
Fee exemption on training fees on socioeconomic
programs

4)
Fee
exemption
on

training
fees
on
socioeconomic
programs
undertaken by OSCA
5) Free medical and dental services in govt establishments
6) Continuance of SSS/GSIS/Pag-Ibig Benefits
7) Seniors as dependents of individual tax payers

No provision

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

RA 9237:
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003)

RA 9994:
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010)

Employment (skills and welfare or livelihood support & training programs)

Education (educational assistance to pursue secondary, tertiary, post tertiary,

vocational and technical education, and shortterm courses)
Health
Health (senior citizens ward in govt
hospitals,
Social Services

Housing

Access to Public Transport

Incentive for Foster Care

Additional
Govt
Assistance
(P500
Social
Pension,
Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage,
Social Safety Nets)

STATUS of SENIOR CITIZENS

- Generally doing okay

Other

Establishment of the following:

Organizations , offices, and centers
Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines (FSCAP),
Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in cities and municipalities,
Committee on Ageing & Degenerative Diseases
Integrated Day Care centers, Senior Citizen centers, home for the
aged, etc.
Geriatric clinics, programs, trainings, support services
Designated seats, ramps and facilities (Accessibility Law)
grants in their benefits such as:
100% across the board increase in SSS benefits
GSIS: 6-month pension loan P100,000 payable in 24 mos.
Consumer welfare desks, consumer right & protection program

CHALLENGES TO BE ADDRESSED

P500 monthly social pension: 2013 budget only approved for those 77 years
old and above
Small neighborhood drugstores non-compliance with granting of 20%
discount
4

Victims of Violence and Abandonment due to in-and-out migration of family

members
Buildings and establishments non-compliance with Accessibility Law
Database for senior citizens (Madrid Declaration)
Increasing demand for health and other social services
Ailing senior citizens in the penitentiary (serious illnesses and with very little
budget for their special needs)

RESOURCES
DSWD:
National
Coordinating
&
Monitoring
Board
http://ncmb.dswd.gov.ph/index.php?
option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=1:l&Itemid=53#
DSWD
News
http://www.dswd.gov.ph/2012/10/seniors-hold-forum-on-expanded-seniorcitizens-act-of-2010/
NSCB
Statistically
Speaking.
http://www.nscb.gov.ph/headlines/StatsSpeak/2011/071111_rav.asp
NSO 2010 Census http://www.census.gov.ph/content/age-and-sex-structurephilippine-population-facts-2010-census