House Committee Approves a More Inclusive Definition of Indigent Senior Citizen

The House Committee on Population and Family Relations has approved recently a proposal to amend Republic Act 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010,” for a more inclusive definition of “indigent senior citizen.”

The panel chaired by Rep. Rogelio J. Espina, M.D. (Lone District, Biliran) approved the proposal embodied in House Bill 3172 filed by Rep. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan (4th District, Quezon).

Tan, a medical doctor, said the present definition of “indigent senior citizen” under RA 9994 excludes senior citizens who are not sick or disabled and who have pension or other sources of income but who are nonetheless in dire need of additional government assistance in the face of steep price of basic commodities and medical services.

Specifically, the law refers to an “indigent senior citizen” as “any elderly who is frail, sickly or with disability, and without pension or permanent source of income, compensation, or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in consultation with the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board.”

Tan said her proposal is to make a more inclusive definition of ‘indigent senior citizen’ by removing the physical requirements and requiring that financial assistance by a senior citizen’s relatives should be adequate and regular.

“Hence, more senior citizens will feel more secure during the remaining years of their lives because of the guarantee that they will have the ready access to financial assistance and health services,” said Tan.

Tan, a vice chairperson of the Committees on Labor and Employment, and on Social Services, said RA 9994 provides an array of benefits, privileges and assistance to senior citizens such as a 20 percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of some goods and services; death benefit assistance; educational assistance; free medical and dental services; and exemption from training fees for socioeconomic programs, among others.

The law also grants indigent senior citizens additional privileges such as free vaccines, social pension and mandatory PhilHealth coverage, according to the lawmaker.

House Bill 3172 seeks the amendment of Section 2, sub-paragraph (h) of RA 9994 so that an indigent senior citizen refers to “any elderly who is without pension or permanent source of income, compensation, or regular and appropriate financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs, as determined by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in consultation with the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board.”

Source: House of Representatives Media Relations Service, Public Relations and Information Bureau