Article 157Labor and Agrarian Laws and Social Legislation, p. 157

LABOR LAWS AND SOCIAL LEGISLATION SPECIAL LAWS AND IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

(NGOs)

and

people's

organizations

(POs)

for

senior

citizens, shall institute programs that will ensure access to

formal and nonformal education.

(c) Health

The DOH, in coordination with local government

units (LGUs), NGOs and POs for senior citizens, shall

institute a national health program and shall provide an

integrated health service for senior citizens. It shall train

community-based health workers among senior citizens

and health personnel to specialize in the geriatric care

and health problems of senior citizens.

The national health program for senior citizens shall,

among

others,

be

harmonized

with

the

National

Prevention of Blindness Program of the DOH.

Throughout the country, there shall be established a

"senior citizens' ward" in every government hospital. This

geriatric ward shall be for the exclusive use of senior

citizens who are in need of hospital confinement by

reason of their health conditions. However, when urgency

of public necessity purposes so require, such geriatric

ward may be used for emergency purposes, after which,

such "senior citizens' ward" shall be reverted to its nature

as geriatric ward.

(d) Social Services

At least fifty percent (50%) discount shall be granted

on the consumption of electricity, water, and telephone

by the senior citizens center and residential care/group

homes that are government-run or non-stock, non-profit

domestic corporation organized and operated primarily

for

the

purpose

of

promoting

the

well-being

of

abandoned, neglected, unattached, or homeless senior

citizens, subject to the guidelines formulated by the

DSWD.

(1) “self and social enhancement services" which

provide

senior

citizens

opportunities

for

socializing,

organizing, creative expression, and self-improvement;

(2) "aftercare and follow-up services" for citizens who

are discharged from the homes or institutions for the

aged,

especially

those

who

have

problems

of

reintegration with family and community, wherein both

the senior citizens and their families are provided with

counseling;

(3)

"neighborhood

support

services" wherein the

community

or

family

members

provide

caregiving

services to their frail, sick, or bedridden senior citizens;

and

(4) "substitute family care " in the form of residential

care or group homes for the abandoned, neglected,

unattached

or

homeless

senior

citizens

and

those

incapable of self-care.

(e) Housing

The national government shall include in its national

shelter program the special housing needs of senior

citizens, such as establishment of housing units for the

elderly.

(f) Access to Public Transport

The

Department

of

Transportation

and

Communications (DOTC) shall develop a program to

assist

senior

citizens

to

fully

gain

access to public

transport facilities.

(g) Incentive for Foster Care

The

government

shall

provide

incentives

to

individuals or non-governmental institution caring for or

establishing

homes,

residential

communities

or

retirement villages solely for, senior citizens, as follows:

(1) realty tax holiday for the first five (5) years starting

from the first year of operation; and

(2) priority in the construction or maintenance of

provincial or municipal roads leading to the aforesaid

home, residential community or retirement village.

(h) Additional Government Assistance

(1) Social Pension

Indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly

stipend amounting to Five hundred pesos (Php500.00) to

augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs

of senior citizens, subject to a review every two (2) years

by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD.

(2) Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage

All senior citizens shall be covered by the national

health insurance program of PhilHealth. Funds necessary

to

ensure

the

enrollment

of

all

senior citizens not

currently

covered

by

any existing category shall be

sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of

PhilHealth from proceeds of Republic Act No. 10351, in

accordance with the pertinent laws and regulations. (as

amended by RA No 10351)

Social

safety assistance intended to cushion the

effects of economics shocks, disasters and calamities shall

be available for senior citizens. The social safety assistance

which shall include, but not limited to, 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 DSWD.

(as amended by RA No 9994)

SECTION 6. The Office for Senior Citizens Affairs

(OSCA) . – There shall be established in all cities and

municipalities an OSCA to be headed by a senior citizen

who shall be appointed by the mayor for a term of three

(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 liaison

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

© Compiled By RGL

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