Pasig city: The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) is advocating for the passage of a Magna Carta for Senior Citizens as part of its Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens (PPASC). This initiative aims to cater to the needs of the country's rapidly growing elderly population.
According to Philippines News Agency, during the National Consultation for the Promotion of Policies on Aging in the Philippines held in Pasig City, NCSC Acting Executive Director Ana Marie Calapit highlighted that the proposed Magna Carta, currently under review in the Senate, seeks to harmonize all existing laws related to older Filipinos. The Magna Carta is designed to address benefits, discounts, and issues related to health and socioeconomic opportunities for senior citizens.
Calapit expressed hopes for stronger implementation of laws related to senior citizen benefits, noting the need for updates to existing legislation. The Magna Carta intends to cover social protection, healthcare, senior discounts, and economic opportunities. In her presentation, Calapit emphasized that the growing number of senior citizens should be viewed positively, considering them as valuable assets. She noted that the Magna Carta would enhance benefits for senior citizens, including increased incentives and opportunities for participation in the labor force.
Furthermore, Calapit explained that the PPASC, which spans from 2023 to 2028, addresses aging as a development issue. The plan focuses on strengthening inter-agency coordination, promoting economic and civic engagement among seniors, improving health and welfare services, and creating age-friendly environments.
Calapit also mentioned that there are over 1,000 senior citizen centers across the nation, offering health screenings, livelihood training, and social services. However, she acknowledged the need for approximately 700 more centers to accommodate the growing number of elderly persons and local government units.
Additionally, Calapit reported progress in the implementation of the Expanded Centenarians Act of 2024, which provides cash incentives to milestone and centenarian seniors. As of December 31, 2025, more than 260,000 beneficiaries have received cash gifts, with the NCSC achieving a 96 percent budget utilization rate for the program. Under this law, seniors receive PHP10,000 upon reaching ages 80, 85, 90, and 95, and PHP100,000 upon turning 100. Local government units are encouraged to provide additional support.
Despite these achievements, Calapit identified funding constraints as a major challenge, citing the PHP3.5 billion budget for 2026. She stressed the need for fiscal support from the government, emphasizing the importance of allocating funds to the agency, given the increasing number of senior citizens, which has reached 11 million and is growing.
