A proposed measure in the House of Representatives seeks to expand government cash incentives for senior citizens by granting benefits as early as age 70, citing the need to provide support to elderly Filipinos before health issues and declining life expectancy limit their ability to enjoy such assistance.
House Bill No. 9170 proposes amendments to the Centenarians Act and its subsequent revisions by expanding the coverage of milestone cash gifts and increasing the amount of benefits given to elderly Filipinos.
Under the proposal, Filipinos who reach the age of 70 would receive a one-time cash gift of P25,000, while those turning 80 and 90 would receive P50,000 and P75,000, respectively.
Additional P10,000 cash incentives would also be granted upon reaching the ages of 75, 85, and 95.
The proposal seeks to revise the current system under Republic Act No. 11982, which presently grants P10,000 cash gifts to Filipinos upon reaching the ages of 80, 85, 90, and 95, while maintaining the P100,000 benefit for centenarians under the original Centenarians Act of 2016.
Supporters of the measure argued that many Filipinos do not live long enough to benefit from the current incentive structure.
“Our existing laws rightfully seek to honor the Filipino elderly who reach the milestone ages of 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 by providing them with cash benefits. However, most of our countrymen do not live long enough to receive these benefits. Even when they do, they are often no longer able to fully enjoy them,” the bill’s explanatory note stated.
The proposal cited studies from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, World Bank, and World Health Organization (WHO) showing that Filipino life expectancy ranges from around 66 to 71 years old.
According to the WHO, average life expectancy among Filipinos stood at 66.4 years as of 2021, with women averaging 69.9 years and men 63.4 years.
The measure also emphasized the increasing financial and medical needs of senior citizens as they age and lose earning capacity.
“This measure seeks not only to honor our senior citizens by providing cash incentives for reaching milestone years, but also to provide them with the financial support they increasingly need as their capacity for work decreases and health complications increase with age,” the proposal said.
Advocates of the bill said the expanded benefits would provide elderly Filipinos with additional financial relief for medicine, healthcare, food, and other daily expenses during their later years.
“Our senior citizens are already at the stage of their life where care and comfort matter most. Huwag na nating ipagdamot o ipagkait ang mga benepisyong kaya nang ipagkaloob ng Estado sa kanila bilang pagpapahalaga at pasasalamat sa kanilang kontribusyon sa ating lipunan,” the measure stated.