Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr.’s top-most priority bill expanding the coverage of ‘Centenarians Act of 2016’ to benefit octogenarians and nonagenarians is now nearing enactment after successfully hurdling its third and final reading last week, September 25, which incidentally was his 57th birthday. Revilla is the principal author of Senate Bill No. 2028 which substituted Senate Bill No. 21, the first measure he filed during the 19th Congress.
“Sobrang tayong nagagalak at nagpapasalamat sa pagkakapasa ng ating una at prayoridad na panukala na tinatawag na nga nila ngayon na ‘Revilla Bill’. Ito ay patunay sa pagpapahalaga, pagmamahal, at pagkalinga sa ating mga lolo at lola,” the veteran lawmaker said. “Nagkataon pang mismong birthday ko ito naaprubahan ng Senado, kaya ito ang pa-birthday natin sa kanila,” he added.
SB 2028 overwhelmingly received 20 affirmative votes with no negative vote and zero abstentions. Revilla expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the Senate, especially to Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development Chairperson Senator Imee R. Marcos and Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri for supporting the passage of the legislation.
“Nagpapasalamat tayo kina Senate President Migz Zubiri at Senator Imee Marcos sa kanilang malaking tulong upang maipasa natin sa Senado itong napakamakabuluhang panukala na ito. Ito ay handog natin sa ating mga nakakatandang mga kapwa na malaki ang naging ambag sa ating bansa noong panahon ng kanilang kalakasan,” Revilla remarked.
Under the ‘Revilla Bill’, all Filipinos reaching the ages of eighty (80) and ninety (90) shall receive cash gifts amounting to P10,000 and P20,000 respectively. Those reaching the age of one hundred (100) shall continue to receive P100,000 and a letter of felicitation from the President of the Philippines.
Currently, only those who reach the age of 100 are entitled to the cash benefit, but Revilla said that only few Filipino senior citizens live up to the centenarian age, hence the need to amend it.
“Kapag tuluyan nang naisabatas itong ating panukala, hindi na lang yung mga lolo at lola natin na aabot sa 100 years ang makakatanggap ng cash gift. Kahit yung mga 80 years old at 90 years old ay makakatanggap na rin.”
“Masaya tayo sa development na ito kasi sa totoo lang, sa kasalukuyan, masyado nang matanda ang mga benepisyaryo bago pa nila matanggap at ma-enjoy ang ibinibigay ng gobyerno na monetary gift sa kanila. Yung iba nga e baka hindi na naiintindihan kung anuman yung natatanggap nila. Kaya intinulak talaga natin na ma-advance sana kahit papaano para ma-enjoy pa nila”, the solon explained.
The House of Representatives already passed a counterpart bill and a bicameral conference committee shall be constituted to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of the two versions. Once reconciled and ratified by both chambers, the bill shall be ready for the President’s signature.