Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 10868 (Centenarians Act of 2016)

September 26, 2016

IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, "AN ACT HONORING AND GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES TO FILIPINO CENTENARIANS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CENTENARIANS ACT OF 2016"

RULE I

Title, Purpose, and Construction

ARTICLE 1. Title. — These Rules shall be known and cited as the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 10868, otherwise known as the "Centenarians Act of 2016."

ARTICLE 2. Purpose. — Pursuant to Section 6 of RA 10868 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), these Rules and Regulations are promulgated to prescribe the procedures and guidelines for its implementation, in order to facilitate compliance with the Act and to achieve its objectives.

ARTICLE 3. Construction.— These Rules shall be construed and applied in accordance with and in furtherance of the policies and objectives of the Act. In case of conflict or ambiguity, the same shall be construed liberally and in favor of the centenarian.

RULE II

Definition of Terms

ARTICLE 2. Definition of Terms.— For purposes of these Rules, the terms are defined as follows:

a. Centenarian — All Filipinos, who have reached one hundred years old and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad.

b. Letter of Felicitation— a letter from the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant on his or her longevity.

c. Plaque of Recognition— an award given to a living centenarian by the city or municipality where he or she resides.

d. Posthumous Plaque of Recognition— an award given to a deceased centenarian presented to his or her Nearest Surviving Relative from the national government through the DSWD.

e. Centenarian Gift — the amount of Php100,000.00 cash benefit to be given to the centenarian as a gift from the national government through the DSWD.

f. Cash incentive— the amount to be awarded by the city or municipality to the centenarian as additional benefit to be determined by the concerned LGU.

g. National Respect for Centenarians Day — the annual commemoration of centenarian day to be celebrated every first Sunday of October as part of the annual celebration of the Elderly Filipino Week (EFW) from October 1 to 7.

h. Nearest Surviving Relative — refers to the closest person related to the deceased centenarian by blood or affinity.

i. Identification Document— refers to any document or proof of being a centenarian that may be used as basis for the availment of the above-mentioned awards and incentives. CAIHTE

j. C/MSWDO— refers to the City or Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWDO) which is in-charge of the implementation of social service programs, including direct services for specific sectors like the elderly, at the local level.

k. OSCA— refers to the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) established under Republic Act No. 9994, and headed by an OSCA Head, primarily tasked to assist in implementing the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.

l. Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) — refers to all groups and organizations, whether non-government organizations (NGOs) or People's Organizations (POs).

RULE III

National Respect for Centenarians Day

ARTICLE 3. National Respect for Centenarians Day.— The first Sunday of October is hereby declared as National Respect for Centenarians Day as part of the annual Elderly Filipino Week (EFW). It shall be observed as a national event and the day when all centenarians will be honored and be given awards and/or incentives provided in the Act pursuant to this IRR.

RULE IV

Coverage

ARTICLE 4. Coverage. — All Filipinos who have reached one hundred years old and above, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad.

RULE V

Awards and Incentives

ARTICLE 5.1. Awards and Incentives from the National Government. — A centenarian shall receive the following awards and incentives from the national government:

a. Letter of Felicitation — a Letter of Felicitation signed by the President of the Philippines shall be given to the living centenarian.

b. Centenarian Gift — in addition to the Letter of Felicitation, a cash award of P100,000.00 shall be given to the centenarian in recognition of his or her longevity. The amount of P100,000.00 for each centenarian shall be taken from the available funds of the DSWD as included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).

c. Posthumous Plaque of Recognition — shall be awarded to the deceased centenarian by the DSWD to be received by the centenarian's nearest surviving relative.

ARTICLE 5.2. Awards and Incentives from the Local Government Unit. — A centenarian shall receive the following awards and incentives from the city or municipality where he or she resides.

a. Plaque of recognition — In addition to the Letter of Felicitation, a Plaque of Recognition shall also be given to the centenarian acknowledging his or her long life.

b. Cash Incentive — Together with the Plaque of Recognition, the city and municipality shall also grant the centenarian a cash incentive in an amount to be determined by the LGU. Due consideration may be given to any local ordinance passed earlier granting a similar cash incentive for centenarians.

To ensure compliance by the LGUs and to facilitate the granting of this benefit, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall issue the necessary directive or guidelines enjoining city and municipal officials to implement this Act within 60 days from the effectivity of this IRR.

RULE VI

Documentary Requirements

ARTICLE 6. Identification Documents. — The centenarian shall present his/her birth certificate or Philippine passport to prove his/her entitlement for the awards and incentives under the Centenarian Act of 2016. In the absence of either of the two documents, any one (1) of the following primary IDs may also be accepted:

a. Senior Citizen's Identification (ID) Card issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) indicating the year of birth;

b. Other Philippine-government issued identification cards such as the Land Transportation (LTO)-issued Driver's License, social security cards like the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and Social Security System (SSS), Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) license, Philippine Postal ID, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) voter's ID, etc. showing Filipino citizenship and year of birth as a reference point for the centenarian's eligibility for the awards and incentives.

Any two (2) of the following secondary documents may also be accepted in the absence of the above-mentioned primary IDs:

a. Marriage Certificate of the centenarian issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or the Local Civil Registrar

b. Birth Certificates of children borne by/of the centenarian

c. Affidavits executed by at least two (2) disinterested persons with personal knowledge of centenarian's actual age or date of birth

d. Old School or Employment records showing date of birth of centenarian DETACa

e. Baptismal and/or Confirmation records of centenarian certified by the parish church

Any false attestations or certifications issued shall be under the pain of penalty as provided under the Revised Penal Code, Civil Code and other existing laws for that matter.

For those centenarians residing abroad, they may provide valid identification documents recognized in the country of their residence as verified and certified by the Philippine embassy or consulate. The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), may issue appropriate guidelines for this purpose within 60 days after the effectivity of this IRR.

RULE VII

Verification Protocols

ARTICLE 7. Verification Protocols. — The DSWD, being the primary government agency looking after the welfare and interests of senior citizens, shall formulate and issue supplemental guidelines to operationalize and implement this Act within 60 days from the effectivity of this IRR.

RULE VIII

Appropriations

ARTICLE 8. Appropriations.— During the initial year of the implementation of this Act, the requisite fund shall be sourced from the available funds of the DSWD and subsequently the necessary amount to implement the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

RULE IX

Final Provisions

ARTICLE 10.n Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and rules and regulations or part thereof, contrary to, or inconsistent with the provisions of these Rules, are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

ARTICLE 11. Separability Clause. — Should any provision of the Rules be found unconstitutional or invalid by a court of law, such provision shall be severed from the remainder of these Rules and such action shall not affect the enforceability of the remaining provisions of these Rules.

ARTICLE 12. Effectivity. — These Rules and regulations shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation, the Official Gazette, and submission to the Office of the National Administrative Register, UP Law Center, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

Signed September 26, 2016 at the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Batasan Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City.

(SGD.) JUDY M. TAGUIWALOSecretaryDepartment of Social Welfare and Development

(SGD.) PAULYN JEAN B. ROSELL-UBIAL, M.D.SecretaryDepartment of Health

(SGD.) ISMAEL D. SUENOSecretaryDepartment of the Interior and Local Government

(SGD.) MA. REGINA ANGELA G. GALIASOfficer-in-ChargeCommission on Filipinos Overseas

In Consultation with and Witnessed by:

(SGD.) JORGE BANAL, SR.Federation of Senior CitizensAssociation of the Philippines (FSCAP)

Signed by representative

 

EMILY BERDICOCoalition of Services for the Elderly

(SGD.) SALVACION BASIANONational Anti-Poverty Commission-Senior Citizens Sectoral CouncilRepresentative (NAPC-SCSC)

(SGD.) DIOSCORO BENALLAConfederation of Older PersonsAssociations of the Philippines(COPAP)

ATTACHMENT

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENTRESOLUTIONSeries of 2016

APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10868, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CENTENARIANS ACT OF 2016"

WHEREAS, the President signed into law on June 23, 2016 Republic Act No. 10868, known as "An Act Honoring and Granting Additional Benefits and Privileges to Filipino Centenarians, and for other purposes," or otherwise known as the "Centenarians Act of 2016";

WHEREAS, Section 6 of RA 10868 stipulates that the Secretaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) shall promulgate the necessary guidelines for and shall take the lead in the effective implementation of this Act;

WHEREAS, the IRR is the product of special meetings and consultations of different government agencies and representative senior citizens organizations;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to approve and adopt the implementing rules and regulations of RA 10868, otherwise known as the "Centenarians Act of 2016";

RESOLVED FURTHER, that these Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be published in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, the Official Gazette, and filed with the Administrative Registrar, University of the Philippines Law Center, as required under the Administrative Code of 1987.

DONE this 26th of September in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and Sixteen, in Batasan Pambansa, Quezon City. aDSIHc

(SGD.) JUDY M. TAGUIWALOSecretaryDepartment of Social Welfare and Development

(SGD.) PAULYN JEAN B. ROSELL-UBIAL, M.D.SecretaryDepartment of Health

(SGD.) ISMAEL D. SUENOSecretaryDepartment of the Interior and Local Government

(SGD.) MA. REGINA ANGELA G. GALIASOfficer-in-ChargeCommission on Filipinos Overseas

In Consultation with and Witnessed by:

(SGD.) JORGE BANAL, SR.Federation of Senior CitizensAssociation of the Philippines (FSCAP)

Signed by representative

EMILY BERDICOCoalition of Services for the Elderly(COSE)

(SGD.) SALVACION BASIANONational Anti-Poverty Commission-Senior Citizens Sectoral CouncilRepresentative (NAPC-SCSC)

(SGD.) DIOSCORO BENALLAConfederation of Older PersonsAssociations of the Philippines(COPAP)

n Note from the Publisher: Copied verbatim from the official copy. Missing Article 9.

Published in The Philippine Star on October 16, 2016.