HUMAN RIGHTS: SENIOR CITIZENS

Senior Citizens in the Society

• Judges and justices • Live in nursing homes

• Senators & congressmen • Sick in the hospitals
• Professors & school principals • Begging on the streets
• Lay leaders
• Lolos and lolas

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 6th 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.

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Philippine Legislations

• RA 344: Accessibility Law of 1982

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

Who are Senior Citizens?

RA 7432 : RA 9237: RA 9994:

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
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003) Expanded Senior Citizens Act
of 2010)
• Resident of the Phils. • Resident of the Phils.
• At least 60 y.o. • 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 : RA 9237: RA 9994:

An Act to Maximize the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of Expanded Senior Citizens Act of
Contribution of Senior Citizens to 2003) 2010)
Nation Building, Grant Benefits
and Special Privileges and For
Other Purpose
1) 20% discount on: 1) 20% discount on: 1) 20% discount & VAT
- Transpo - Medicines Exemption:
- Lodging - Medical fees & dental - Medicines; medical fees &
- Restaurants services on private estab. services on private
- Recreation centers - Transpo (land, domestic air establishments;
& sea travel) - Transpo (land, domestic air
- Lodging & sea travel)
- Restaurants - Lodging
- Recreation centers - Restaurants
- Funeral & burial services - Recreation centers

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 - Funeral & burial services

2) Minimum of 20% discount on

places of culture, leisure &
amusement

BENEFITS cont’d…

RA 7432 : RA 9237: RA 9994:

An Act to Maximize the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of Expanded Senior Citizens Act of
Contribution of Senior Citizens to 2003) 2010)
Nation Building, Grant Benefits
and Special Privileges and For
Other Purpose
3) Income tax exemption, prov. income ≤ poverty level • Income tax exemption on
minimum wage earners
4) Fee exemption on training fees • Fee exemption on training fees on socioeconomic programs
on socioeconomic programs
undertaken by OSCA
5) Free medical and dental services in gov’t establishments

6) Continuance of SSS/GSIS/Pag-Ibig Benefits

7) Seniors as dependents of individual tax payers No provision

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

RA 9237: RA 9994:
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003) 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 short—term courses)
• Health • Health (senior citizens ward in gov’t hospitals,
• Social Services
• Housing
Access to Public Transport
• Incentive for Foster Care

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 • Additional Gov’t Assistance
(P500 Social Pension,
Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage, Social Safety
Nets)

STATUS of SENIOR CITIZENS

- Generally doing okay

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)

Other 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
• 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&Ite
mid=53#
• DSWD News
http://www.dswd.gov.ph/2012/10/seniors-hold-forum-on-expanded-senior-citizens-act-of-
2010/
• NSCB Statistically Speaking.
http://www.nscb.gov.ph/headlines/StatsSpeak/2011/071111_rav.asp

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• NSO 2010 Census http://www.census.gov.ph/content/age-and-sex-structure-philippine-
population-facts-2010-census