Senator Wandy Soto Tolentino, chair of the Family, Women, Elderly, and People with Disabilities Committee, introduced two legislative measures to strengthen the government's response to financial exploitation of seniors and people with disabilities. Senate Projects 1477 and 1478 aim to address the lack of coordination between agencies receiving referrals and the risk of funds being withdrawn or transferred before authorities can intervene.
The proposals follow an investigation that included public hearings, meetings with government agencies and financial institutions, and a multisectoral roundtable. According to the Department of Family, there were 911 referrals for financial exploitation in fiscal year 2025, compared to eight in 2010. Project 1477 would establish the Uniform Financial Exploitation Case System, creating a unique number for each case and an interagency registry to track entities involved, case status, and actions taken.
Project 1478 would allow for the provisional retention of suspected exploitation funds for up to 30 days.