Full TEXT:

ORDINANCE NO. 2024-118

AN ORDINANCE MANDATING THE LOCAL APPLICATION OF R.A. 9994 AMENDING R.A. 7432, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT TO MAXIMIZE THE CONTRIBUTION OF SENIOR CITIZENS TO NATION BUILDING AS AMENDED, GRANTING ADDITIONAL BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES TO SENIOR CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF NAGA, AND PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES:

Sponsored by: Honorable Jose B. Perez

Be it enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City of Naga duly assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. This Ordinance shall otherwise be known as the “Social Pension Fund for Senior Citizens Ordinance of the City of Naga.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Principles and Objectives. As provided for in the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, it is a declared policy of the State to promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living and an improved quality of life. It is further declared that there shall be priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and children and that the State may design programs of social security for them.

SECTION 3. Local Application of R.A. 9994. This Ordinance, therefore, shall embody for implementation all the provisions of said National Law, including its implementing rules and regulations that grant additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens, with funds appropriated for the purpose.

SECTION 4. Definition of Senior Citizen. A Senior Citizen is any resident citizen of the Philippines who is at least sixty (60) years old as defined by Republic Act No. 9994 that grants additional benefits and privileges to senior citizens.

SECTION 5. Additional Government Benefits. This Ordinance shall take special attention to providing immediate implementation of the additional benefits and assistance to indigent senior citizens of the City of Naga, particularly, but not limited to, the following mandatory benefits:

a. Social Pension. Pursuant to the eligibility criteria as may be determined by the DSWD, through the CSWDO, indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to Five Hundred Pesos (P 500.00) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens. The grant of social pension shall be subject to review every three (3) years by the Sangguniang Panlungsod with the concurrence of the City Mayor.

b. Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage. All indigent senior citizens shall be covered by the national health insurance program of PhilHealth. The City Government of Naga, where the senior citizen resides, shall allocate the necessary funds to ensure the enrollment and lifetime coverage of their indigent senior citizens, in accordance with the pertinent laws and regulations.

C. Death Benefit Assistance. Death benefit assistance of a minimum of Two Thousand Pesos (P2,000.00) shall be given to the nearest surviving relative who took care of the deceased senior citizen, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO). This shall not, however, preclude the City Government of Naga already granting burial assistance to continue giving such benefit even to deceased non-indigent senior citizens.

SECTION 6. Definition of Indigent Senior Citizen. An indigent senior citizen is any elderly who is frail, sick, or with disability and without pension or regular source of income, compensation, or financial assistance from his/her relatives to support his/her basic needs, as stated in the said Republic Act No. 9994 and as determined by the DSWD, in consultation with the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board (NCMB).

SECTION 7. Inclusive Application of All Benefits and Privileges Provided for in the Amended Senior Citizens Act and related laws. As pointed out in Section 3 of this ordinance, the other provisions of R.A. 7432, as amended by R.A. 9257, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003” and further amended by R.A. 9994, also otherwise known as “An Act Maximizing the Contribution of Senior Citizens to Nation-Building”, shall hereby remain part of this local ordinance.

SECTION 8. Appropriations. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Ordinance shall be taken from Local Funds as may be allocated in the Naga City Annual Budget.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Ordinance is held invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 11. Transitory Provision. There shall be a period of three (3) months to allow the Budget, Accounting, and City Treasurer’s Offices to identify the funds and establish mechanisms for the allocation and distribution of funds for the additional benefits due the indigent senior citizens.

SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. This Ordinance shall take effect upon its approval with the necessary funds to be allocated in the next budget year of the city government. There shall be publication of this Ordinance once approved in a newspaper of general circulation.

ENACTED: October 8, 2024

WE HEREBY CERTIFY to the correctness of the foregoing ordinance.

GIL A. DE LA TORRE
Secretary to the
Sangguniang Panlungsod

CECILIA B. VELUZ-DE ASIS
City Vice Mayor &
Presiding Officer

GLORIA SF. COROD
Senior Citizen Secretary
to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

JOSEFA B. RUSTIA
City Senior Citizen  Vice Mayor
& Presiding Officer

APPROVED:

NELSON S. LEGACION
City Mayor

CORAZON S. ABESA
City Senior Citizen Mayor