Senate o! the
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session
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SENATE
S. No. 1799
23 JAN 30 Pl:l7 RECElvr.D BY.
Introduced by SENATOR FRANCIS "TOL" N. TOLENTINO
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AND STRENGTHENED NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR SENIOR CITIZENS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9994, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "EXPANDED SENIOR CITIZENS ACT OF 2010"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states that "The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them." Section 11 of Article XIII further provides that "the State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development. Acknowledging the physical disadvantages of the underprivileged elderly, including the underprivileged sick, disabled, women, and children, their needs for health development is said to be a priority." According to the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, senior citizens or people aged sixty (60) years old and over make up 8.5% (9.22 million) of the Filipino household population for that year. According to the Commission on Population and Development, citing recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, the percentage of Filipino elderly is rising throughout the years.1
1 Dona Z. Pazzibugan, ‘Opportunity’: PH senior population on the rise, available at: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1646487/opportunity-ph-senior-population-on-the-rise (last accessed on 23 January 2023) (2022).