Forced retirement not aim of bill lowering senior citizen age to 56 —Revilla

Forcing an employee to retire once he reaches 56, the proposed new age of a senior citizen, is not among the features of his bill, Senator Bong Revilla Jr. said. 

Revilla said he wanted the age lowered from 60 to 56 to allow the elderly population to avail the privileges of senior citizens a few years earlier.

"Hindi naman ito forced retirement. Ma-avail lang nila yung 20 percent fixed discount when you reach 56 years old," Revilla told reporters.

"Kumbaga ang (aim) natin dito when you reach 56, don ma-avail (ang privileges) instead of 60 years old. At least mas maaga. Alam naman natin yung edad natin ngayon especially, yung tama ng pandemic sa atin," he said.

Revilla filed Senate bill 1573 which seeks to amend Republic Act 7432 or the Senior Citizens' Act.

SB 1573 aims to expand the coverage of the law and include the elderly aged 56 and above.

"The benefits and privileges granted by statutes to senior citizens are indeed numerous and we believe that they deserve all these...By approving this proposal, said benefits and privileges may also be enjoyed by fifty-sixers and above. This will further accord our elderly the recognition and appreciation that they rightfully deserve," he said in his explanatory note.

Although the bill is yet to be tackled by a Senate committee, Revilla said the bill can include a provision that provides a 10 percent discount to individuals ageing 56 to 59 should his original proposal face opposition from the business sector.

"Siyempre ang titingnan na lang natin dito 'yung effect sa mga negosyante. Maybe we can reduce it instead of 20 percent maybe 10 percent pero aralin muna nating mabuti," he said.

Revilla said this bill is one of his campaign promises in 2019.—LDF, GMA Integrated News