House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has assured senior citizens the House of Representatives will adopt the Senate version on the creation of the National Commission of Senior Citizens to avoid delay in its implementation.
Arroyo gave the assurance to the more than 800 leaders and members of the different senior citizens organizations that attended the consultative meeting at the House of Representatives to discuss the recently approved House Bill 8837.
The oversight committee hearing was requested by the House Special Committee on Senior Citizens chaired by Rep. Imelda Marcos of Ilocos Norte on the request of the Speaker through the committee’s vice chairpersons, Reps. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay and Francisco Datol Jr. of Senior Citizens party-list.
The bill proposes the creation of 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,” Arroyo said.
Arroyo also recommended for 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,” Arroyo said.