An Act Increasing the Social Pension of Indigent Senior Citizens and Appropriating Funds Therefor, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 7432, as Amended, and for Other Purposes

July 30, 2022

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11916

AN ACT INCREASING THE SOCIAL PENSION OF INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7432, ENTITLED "AN ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO NATION-BUILDING, GRANT BENEFITS AND SPECIAL PRIVILEGES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 2. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, these terms are defined as follows:

(a) x x x;

xxx xxx xxx;

(h) x x x;

(i) Pension Provider refers to any government office or agency, or any private entity which provides pensions to entitled recipients on the basis of contributions, gratuity, or as mandated by any governing law or issuance, including the Social Security System (SSS), the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the Pension and Gratuity Management Center (PGMC); and

(j) Social Pension refers to the monetary grant from the government to support the daily subsistence and medical needs of senior citizens which shall not be less than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) per month."

SECTION 2. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 5. Government Assistance. — The government shall provide the following:

(a) Employment

xxx xxx xxx;

Private entities that will employ senior citizens as employees, upon the effectivity of this Act, shall be entitled to an additional deduction from their gross income, equivalent to fifteen percent (15%) of the total amount paid as salaries and wages to senior citizens, subject to the provision of Section 34 of the NIRC, as amended: Provided, however, That such employment shall continue for a period of at least six (6) months: Provided, further, That the annual income of the senior citizen does not exceed the latest poverty threshold as published by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) for that year.

xxx xxx xxx;

(h) Additional Government Assistance

(1) Mandatory Social Pension

Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to not less than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens.

The DSWD shall, subject to the approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), in consultation with other stakeholders, review and, when necessary, adjust the amount of the social pension every two (2) years after the effectivity of this Act, taking into account the present consumer price index as published by the PSA and relevant economic indicators, as reported and published by pertinent government agencies and authorities.

(2) x x x

(3) Social Safety Nets

Social safety assistance intended to cushion the effects of economic shocks, disasters and calamities shall be available for senior citizens. The social safety assistance which shall include food, medicines, and financial assistance for domicile repair, shall be sourced from the disaster/calamity funds of LGUs where the senior citizens reside, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC)."

SECTION 3. Form and Manner of Payment. — The monthly stipend shall be released to target beneficiaries either in cash, direct remittance through the engagement of a service provider duly accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, electronic transfer, or other modes of delivery, whichever is more practical and acceptable to the beneficiary, ensuring its release in the most expeditious and efficient manner.

SECTION 4. Waiver of Fees. — Any transaction or service fee arising from the engagement of a service provider, electronic transfer, or other modes of delivery with service fees for the release of the monthly stipends and other forms of assistance to target beneficiaries shall not be charged against the target beneficiaries.

SECTION 5. Transfer of Functions from the DSWD. — The implementation, distribution, and management of the social pension for senior citizens shall, in accordance with Section 11 of Republic Act No. 7432, n as amended by Republic Act No. 11350, be transferred from the DSWD to the NCSC within a period not exceeding three (3) years from the effectivity of this Act.

The absorption or transfer of regular or permanent and other employees of the affected offices and programs of the DSWD shall be done in accordance with applicable laws, including civil service laws, rules and regulations, and subject to the approval of the DBM.

SECTION 6. List of Beneficiaries. — The DSWD, and thereafter upon full transfer of its functions and programs to the NCSC, with the assistance of the PSA through community-based monitoring system established under Republic Act No. 11315, otherwise known as the "Community-Based Monitoring System Act," and validation by the local government units, shall update and validate the list of target beneficiaries annually.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, the NCSC shall, in consultation with the DSWD, DBM and other concerned government agencies, as well as nongovernment organizations and people's organizations of senior citizens duly accredited by the DSWD, promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. — The amount necessary for the initial implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the DSWD. Thereafter, such amount necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, issuances, and rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved:

Lapsed into law on July 30, 2022 without the signature of the President, in accordance with Article VI, Section 27 (1) of the Constitution.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 118, No. 32, p. 9051 on August 8, 2022.

 

n Note from the Publisher: Written as "7742" in the official document.