QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 7876)
RA No. 7876 is known as the “Senior Citizens Center Act of the Philippines,” establishing a senior citizens center in all cities and municipalities and appropriating funds for the purpose.
The State aims to provide adequate social services and an improved quality of life through an integrated and comprehensive approach to health development, giving priority to elderly persons among others.
“Senior citizens” are persons at least sixty (60) years of age. “Center” refers to the place established under the Act with recreational, educational, health, and social programs and facilities for the full enjoyment and benefit of senior citizens in the city or municipality.
A senior citizens center is established in every city and municipality of the Philippines.
The centers are under the direct supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in collaboration with the concerned local government unit (LGU).
They identify needs, trainings, and opportunities; initiate and implement productive activities/work schemes to provide income or supplement earnings; promote and maintain linkages for delivery of health care services and other professional/volunteer support (including community self-help projects); and perform other necessary functions to achieve the purpose of the Act.
The Secretary of the DSWD may designate social workers as center workers; the Secretary may also appoint other personnel with necessary professional qualifications to work efficiently with the elderly.
Yes. The Secretary may call upon private volunteers who are responsible community members to provide medical, educational, and other services and facilities for senior citizens.
A senior citizen who suffers from a contagious disease or who is mentally unfit/unsound and whose behavior is inimical to other senior citizens, as determined by DSWD based on certification by a qualified government or private volunteer physician.
The center must refer the senior citizen to the appropriate government agency for needed medical care or confinement.
The center is exempted from payment of customs duties, taxes, and tariffs on the importation of equipment and supplies used actually, directly, and exclusively by the center pursuant to the Act, including donated equipment and supplies.
Any violation renders the concerned official(s) liable under Republic Act No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) and other existing administrative and/or criminal laws.
DSWD coordinates with the Department of Health and other government agencies and local government units to assist effective implementation and provide necessary support services.
Appropriations necessary to carry out the Act are included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following enactment and every year thereafter. Continuous operations are subsidized in part by DSWD and in part by the local government units concerned.
All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with the Act are modified, amended, or repealed accordingly.
Fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
It means the centers are administratively linked to DSWD’s regional offices (they carry out the Act’s functions at the local level). This matters for chain of supervision, program rollout, and coordination because the regional offices effectively extend DSWD’s capacity to implement the Act nationwide.