By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
On Tuesday, lawmakers approved on the third and final reading a proposed legislation allowing senior citizens to be employed even after reaching retirement age.
Administration and opposition lawmakers overwhelmingly stamped their approval to House Bill 10985 (Employment Opportunities for Senior Citizens and Private Entities’ Incentives Act), voting with an overwhelming 173 affirmative votes during the plenary session.
“Retired or elderly individuals should not just be left to fend for themselves or depend entirely on their monthly pension. It’s about time we help ensure automatic employment allocation for Filipinos aged 60 years old and above,” Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said.
Speaker Romualdez said the government must open more economic opportunities for our senior citizens to let them enjoy life even in their twilight years, emphasizing the value of allowing them to still be productive citizens of the country in a similar way as how elders continue to function in advanced economies.
Among the authors of the bill are senior citizens themselves, such as Reps. Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes (chairman of the Committee on Senior Citizens Affairs), Sergio Dagooc (APEC party-list), Salvador Pleyto Sr. (Bulacan 6th District) and Bro. Eddie Villanueva (Citizens Battle Against Corruption party-list).
Once signed into law, HB 10985 will further amend Republic Act 7432, entitled “An Act to Maximize the Contribution of Senior Citizens to Nation-Building, Grant Benefits and Special Privileges” signed into law by the late President Cory Aquino in April 1992.
Several amendments to RA 7432 have been made through the years, notably by Republic Act 9257 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003) and Republic Act 9994, otherwise known as the “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.”
The bill mandates the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), through the Public Employment Service Offices (PESO), to provide information and matching services to senior citizens who have the capacity and desire to work or to be re-employed, stressing that “All government agencies and private entities shall institute an employment program that promotes the general well-being of senior citizens and ensure access to employment opportunities to those who have the qualifications, capacity, and interest to be employed.”
Also enlisted in HB 10985 are possible employment positions for the elderly, which shall include “clerical or secretarial works, consultancy, cleaning or janitorial services, event organizing, teaching, kitchen help, sales assistance, BPOs and other jobs or volunteer works.”
Private entities that would employ senior citizens as employees, upon effectivity of the law, shall be entitled to an additional deduction from their gross income, equivalent to 25% of the total amount paid as salaries, wages, benefits and training provided to senior citizens.
The proposed law likewise prohibits all government instrumentalities, including government-owned and controlled corporations, local government units, and government hospitals from charging fees to senior citizens for documents—such as birth certificate, police clearance, medical certificate—required for their employment.
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