SENIOR Citizen partylist Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes has filed House Bill 783 seeking the abolition of the Senior Citizens Sectoral Council (SCSC) of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC).
Rep. Ordanes argues that the SCSC became redundant upon the enactment of Republic Act 11350, which contains a general repealing clause that should have dissolved the council by operation of law. He contends that the SCSC’s continued existence and functions unnecessarily duplicate those of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC).
While acknowledging the time required for legislative action, Rep. Ordanes suggested an alternative solution. He noted that the President could expedite the process by exercising executive power to either integrate the SCSC into the NCSC or transfer it to the NCSC Secretariat through an executive order or administrative order.
He emphasized that this action would only involve the SCSC and not the entire NAPC, as both entities fall under the Office of the President. This executive action, he suggested, would offer a more expedient solution to address the redundancy.
Rep. Ordanes’s bill highlights concerns about bureaucratic efficiency and the avoidance of duplicated efforts within government agencies.
The proposed legislation and the suggested executive action both aim to streamline the support system for senior citizens by eliminating unnecessary overlap between the NAPC-SCSC and the NCSC. The outcome will determine whether legislative or executive action will be used to address the perceived redundancy.
