WITH the expected enactment into law of the creation of the National Commission of Senior Citizens, a lawmaker on Sunday said the government will allocate P520 million for the commission.
Rep. Francisco Datol of Senior Citizens party-list said the commission has a P520-million allocation in the 2019 national budget under the Office of the President.
With this, Datol asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development to lay the groundwork for its operation at the soonest time.
“Most probably, by the third or fourth quarter of this year, the seniors’ commission would be operational.
The search for appointees to the commission can begin now,” said Datol, vice chairman of the House Senior Citizens committee.
Datol also said, “unlike like most agency charters, this law has six commissioners to represent different geographical regions.”
“This commission is an opportunity to show that seniors still have some of the best years of their lives ahead of them. That they can serve in the commission and urgently take action on their constituents’ concerns,” Datol said.
Adopt Senate version
To avoid delay in implementation, Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently assured the senior citizens that the House will adopt the Senate version on the creation of the National Commission of Senior Citizens.
House Bill 8837 seeks to create the National Commission of Senior Citizens, provide for its functions, abolish the National Coordinating Council and Monitoring Board and amend for the purpose Republic Act 7432, as amended and appropriate funds therefor.
Both the House and the Senate have passed the bill on the senior citizens national commission on third reading.
“In order to speed up the sending of the bill to the President for his signature, on May 20 after election when we convene, the House will adopt the Senate version so that there will be no more delay, after which we will send the consolidated version, which is the Senate version, to the Office of the President,” she said.
Meanwhile, Arroyo recommended another oversight committee hearing after May 20 to call those who will do the implementing rules and regulations, namely, the Department of Budget and Management, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, League of Cities of the Philippines, League of Municipalities of the Philippines and other stakeholders to do the first draft of the IRR.
“So that as soon the President signs the bill, they can proceed to do the official draft of the IRR,” the Speaker said.