Manila, May 18 -- House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima on Monday called for the immediate passage of a measure expanding the benefits for senior citizens by including septuagenarians, or Filipinos aged 70 to 75, as recipients of cash benefits.

House Bill No. 9170 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11982, which amended RA 10868 or the "Centenarians Act of 2016," by expanding its benefit coverage and establishing a gradual progression in the amount of cash gifts for Filipinos aged 70 to 100.

Aside from including septuagenarians as beneficiaries, the bill also increases the amount of benefits received by Filipinos upon reaching the ages of 80 or octogenarians, and 90 or nonagenarians.

As en...