By Janna Marie Pineda
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — In a landmark effort to give older Filipinos a direct hand in shaping national legislation, nearly 1,000 delegates from senior citizens organizations and government agencies gathered for a historic national consultation aimed at ensuring that the welfare, rights, and dignity of every elderly Filipino are protected by the very laws that govern them.
“Honoring our elders requires far more than mere reverence, lip service, or respectful gestures. It demands active listening, continuous and profound engagement, and impactful action,” said National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez during the summit’s opening, emphasizing that true advocacy for the sector requires tangible legislative change rather than just traditional gestures of respect.
With the Philippines’ older population projected to surpass 11 million this year—and expected to account for one in every ten Filipinos by 2030—this landmark summit seeks to ensure that national laws evolve by directly involving the elderly in refining and reshaping crucial welfare legislation.
The event, organized by the NCSC in partnership with the National Anti-Poverty Commission-Senior Citizens Sectoral Council (NAPC-SCSC), serves as a vital platform for meaningful dialogue. By turning the firsthand, lived experiences of older Filipinos into legislative action, the consultation aims to build a more inclusive legal framework.
Echoing this call to action, NCSC-National Capital Region Director August Anthony N. Balute emphasized that the consultation is a rare and vital window for direct feedback from the grassroots level, noting that Metro Manila alone sent a strong contingent of 200 representatives to ensure their local concerns are heard.
“Pagkakataon ito ng ating mga senior citizens na magkaroon sila ng boses, mailabas ang kanilang hinaing, at mahalaga sa lahat, ang rekomendasyon. Mahalaga po ito dahil sila po ang direktang nakakaramdam kung kanila ba talagang napapakinabangan ang mga benepisyo,” said Balute.
Balute also assured the public that this landmark gathering is not a one-time event, but the beginning of a sustained, long-term initiative as the NCSC plans to continue hosting these consultations to ensure that the process of refining elderly policies remains inclusive, continuous, and dynamic as the country’s demographics evolve.
The demand for responsive local governance has never been more pressing in Metro Manila, which ranks as the third largest region for older adults with a population of 1.4 million senior citizens across 17 local government units.
Speaking on behalf of Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, Manila Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) chief Elizabeth Rivera-Valdez shed light on the evolving role of the elderly, noting that senior citizens should be viewed as community role models rather than just passive recipients of welfare.
“Government is not only about buildings and roads and infrastructure and projects. Government is about people,” said Rivera-Valdez. “The true measure of good governance is how we care for our people, especially those who have spent a lifetime caring for others.”
She highlighted that the Manila city government remains committed to expanding grassroots programs, spanning healthcare, financial aid, and holistic services that uphold elderly dignity.
“Our assembly and consultation today will ensure that the voices of our senior citizens will be heard and represented to shape the policies for their future and for their lives,” Rivera-Valdez added, aligning Manila’s localized efforts with the broader national agenda.
A central focus of the summit was the active collaboration among delegates from senior citizens’ organizations, local government units, and national agencies. Together, they conducted a comprehensive review of proposed enhancements to Republic Act 11350 (the National Commission of Senior Citizens Act) and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, looking for structural gaps that hinder uniform enforcement at the community level.
Participants also scrutinized the draft Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the Senior Citizens Center Act, aiming to streamline how local centers provide day care, medical, and recreational services across municipalities. Furthermore, the summit served as a critical avenue to gather concrete policy recommendations meant to accelerate the passage of the highly anticipated Universal Social Pension Bill.
Crucial to this legislative push was the presence of representatives from the legislative branch, including key members from the House of Representatives. Their participation established a direct, real-time link between grassroots policy recommendations and the actual lawmaking process.
By engaging directly with elderly delegates, these lawmakers gained first-hand insights into the everyday challenges faced by older Filipinos. This strategic dialogue ensures that the proposed amendments and bills will not languish in committees, but will instead be carried forward with strong legislative backing, grounded firmly in the lived realities of the sector. (JMP/PIA-NCR)
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