Privileges for the Senior Citizens

Section 6: The Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA)

An OSCA will be established in all cities and municipalities to be headed by a senior who shall be appointed by the mayor for a term of 3 years without reappointment but without prejudice to an extension if exigency so requires.

Said appointee shall be chosen from a list of three (3) nominees as recommended by a general assembly of senior citizens organizations in the city or municipality.

“The head of the OSCA shall be appointed to serve the interest of senior citizens and shall not be removed or replaced except for reasons of death permanent disability or ineffective performance of his duties to the detriment of fellow senior citizens.

“The head of the OSCA shall be entitled to receive an honorarium of an amount at least equivalent to Salary Grade 10 to be approved by the LGU concerned.

“The head of the OSCA shall be assisted by the City Social Welfare and Development officer or by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer, in coordination with the Social Welfare and Development Office.

“The Office of the Mayor shall exercise supervision over the OSCA relative to their plans, activities and programs for senior citizens. The OSCA shall work together and establish linkages with accredited NGOs Pos and the barangays in their respective areas.

“The OSCA shall have the following functions:

“(a) To plan, implement and monitor yearly work programs in pursuance of the objectives of this Act;

“(b) To draw up a list of available and required services which can be provided by the senior citizens;

“(c) To maintain and regularly update on a quarterly basis the list of senior citizens and to issue national individual identification cards, free of charge, which shall be valid anywhere in the country;

“(d) To serve as a general information and liason center for senior citizens;

“(e) To monitor compliance of the provisions of this Act particularly the grant of special discounts and privileges to senior citizens;

“(f) To report to the mayor, any individual, establishments, business entity, institutions or agency found violating any provision of this Act; and

“(g) To assist the senior citizens in filing complaints or charges against any individual, establishments, business entity, institution, or agency refusing to comply with the privileges under this Act before the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, the regional or the municipal trial court, the municipal trial court in cities, or the municipal circuit trial court.”

Sec. 7. Section 10 of the same Act, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 10. Penalties. – Any person who refuses to honor the senior citizen card issued by this the government or violates any provision of this Act shall suffer the following penalties:

“(a) For the first violation, imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but not more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00);

“(b) For any subsequent violation, imprisonment of not less than two (2) years but not more than six (6) years and a fine of not less than One Hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00) but not exceeding Two hundred thousand pesos (Php200,000.00); and

“(c) Any person who abuses the privileges granted herein shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months and a fine of not less than Fifty thousand pesos (Php50,000.00) but not more than One hundred thousand pesos (Php100,000.00).

“If the offender is a corporation, partnership, organization or any similar entity, the officials thereof directly involved such as the president, general manager, managing partner, or such other officer charged with the management of the business affairs shall be liable therefor.

“If the offender is an alien or a foreigner, he/she shall be deported immediately after service of sentence.

“Upon filing of an appropriate complaint, and after due notice and hearing, the proper authorities may also cause the cancellation or revocation of the business permit, permit to operate, franchise and other similar privileges granted to any person, establishment or business entity that fails to abide by the provisions of this Act.”

SEC. 11. Monitoring and Coordinating Mechanism

A National Coordinating and Monitoring Board shall be established which shall be composed of the following:

“(a) Chairperson – the Secretary of the DSWD or an authorized representative;

“(b) Vice Chairperson – the Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) or an authorized representative; and

“(c) Members:

1. the Secretary of the DOJ or an authorized representative;

2. the Secretary of the DOH or an authorized representative;

3. the Secretary of the DTI or an authorized representative; and

(4) representatives from five (5) NGOs for senior citizens which are duly accredited by the DSWD and have service primarily for senior citizens. Representatives of NGOs shall serve a period of tree (3) years.

“The Board may call on other government agencies, NGOs and Pos to serve as resource persons as the need arises. Resource person have no right to vote in the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board.”

Sec. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations

Within 60 days from theeffectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DSWD shall formulate and adopt amendments to the existing rules and regulations implementing Republic Act No. 7432, as amended by Republic Act No. 9257, to carry out the objectives of this Act, in consultation with the Department of Finance, the Department of Tourism, the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), the DOLE, the DOJ, the DILG, the DTI, the DOH, the DOTC, the NEDA, the DepED, the TESDA, the CHED, and five (5) NGOs or POs for the senior citizens duly accredited by the DSWD. The guidelines pursuant to Section 4(a)(i) shall be established by the DOH within sixty (60) days upon the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 10. Appropriations

The Necessary appropriations for the operation and maintenance of the OSCA shall be appropriated and approved by the LGUs concerned. For national government agencies, the requirements to implement the provisions of this Act shall be included in their respective budgets: Provided, That the funds to be used for the national health program and for the vaccination of senior citizens in the first year of the DOH and thereafter, as a line item under the under the DOH budget in the subsequent General Appropriations Act (GAA): Provided, further, That the monthly social pension for indigent senior citizens in the first year of implementation shall be added to the regular appropriations of the DSWD budget in the subsequent GAA.

Approved: FEB 15, 2010

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES