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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Solon urges Senate to stop NCSC's transfer to DSWD

Solon urges Senate to stop NCSC's transfer to DSWD

Published Nov 28, 2025 02:32 pm

At A Glance

  • Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes said that while he recognized the good intentions of Senate Bill No. 1469, he believes this would be a setback on the NCSC's moves to provide a better future and benefits for the country's elderly citizens.
File photo
File photo

A party-list lawmaker on Friday, November 28 urged the Senate to review the provisions of a measure seeking the transfer of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes pointed to Senate Bill No. 1469, which was filed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian who sought the NCSC’s transfer from the Office of the President (OP) to the DSWD. 

Ordanes said that while he recognized the good intentions of SB No. 1469, he believes this would be a setback on the NCSC’s moves to provide a better future and benefits for citizens 60 years old and above.

The lawmaker pointed out that the NCSC Charter was primarily crafted to insulate the agency from partisan political pressure, especially on the allocation of national funds for senior citizens’ benefits.

“Partisan politicians would think twice or more when an agency is under the Office of the President,” said Ordanes, vice chairman of the House Committee on Senior Citizens.

The lawmaker further said he was deeply concerned when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) No. 96 in September 2025, and moved the NCSC from the Office of the President to the DSWD supposedly to improve coordination and strengthen programs for senior citizens. 

Malacañang claimed the transfer was intended to make the delivery of services for senior citizens more efficient and effective by linking the NCSC database with the DSWD's programs.

Ordanes said he recognizes the President’s prerogatives, but urged the Senate to reconsider institutionalizing the NCSC’s transfer to the DSWD.

“I appeal to our colleagues in the Senate to let the NCSC stay with the Office of the President. If they insist on attaching NCSC to DSWD, I would rather that the NCSC be placed under the Department of Finance (DOF),” he added.

Ordanes pointed out that if the NCSC will be put under the DOF, it would function similar to the Social Security System (SSS).

"Like the SSS and PhilHealth, the NCSC is essentially a pension and funds management agency. This is why I believe it is better to attach the NCSC to the Department of Finance," he further explained.

He also said it would be easier to manage the financial roles of the NCSC by coordinating with SSS and the Land Bank of the Philippines (Land Bank) for the disbursement of pension benefits because they need only deal with these other agencies attached to the DOF. 

“A memorandum of understanding would suffice for NCSC to work well with SSS and Landbank,” Ordanes claimed. 

Gatchalian, in filing SB No. 1469, said it is imperative to institutionalize EO No. 96 by amending Republic Act No. 11350, the law that established the NCSC.

This way, the senator said the NCSC would turn into a policy-making body attached to the DSWD and allow more effective coordination between the DSWD and the NCSC, and at the same time, “leveraging the strong organizational structure of the DSWD.” 

“The NCSC has been noted to have languished in reaching its milestones and has yet to make any significant progress in shepherding the transition of the functions of DSWD for senior citizens,” Gatchalian said in the explanatory note of the bill. 

The senator said passage into law of the measure would not only streamline the bureaucracy, “but also ensure that senior citizens are afforded the appropriate services and benefits provided under existing laws and regulations.”

Related Tags

Senior citizens NCSC DSWD PBBM Sherwin Gatchalian
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