On
July 9 to 11, 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) Meeting on Ageing and
Health for the Western Pacific Region was held in Manila. Together with
representatives from the Department of Health (DOH), the Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD) was tasked to present a Country Report on
government policies and programs promoting elderly care and welfare in the
Philippines. Other representatives from the DOH included Dr. Irma Asuncion, and
DSWD’s regular partners, Dra. Elizabeth “Bambi” Caluag, and Ms. Remedies “Jing”
Guerrero. Besides Atty. Germaine Trittle P. Leonin of the National Coordinating
and Monitoring Board (NCMB) Secretariat, DSWD was also represented by Director
Patricia Luna, Asst. Bureau Director Paz Sarino, Ms. Marlyn Moral of Social
Technology Bureau and Ms. Fritzie Barrameda of Standards Bureau.
It
has been a particular advantage for the Philippines to have clear mandates in
our 1987 Constitution, identifying the senior citizens as a vulnerable and
marginalized sector. Moreover, provisions on Social Justice and Human Rights
clearly mandates raising the quality of life for all. Other national laws like
the Magna Carta of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) as well as the
Accessibility Law are PWD-related legislation which may be taken advantage of
by our senior citizens.
Meanwhile,
the prime legal basis, Republic Act No. 9994 as the 3rd version of
the senior citizens law tries to be a comprehensive, integrated piece of
legislation for addressing the needs of the senior citizens. Besides healthcare
provisions, it tackles educational opportunities, continuing employment,
availment of livelihood skills training, as well as social pension benefits. And,
besides the relevant legislations for senior citizens like the Expanded Senior
Citizens Act of 2010, our national sectoral plan - the Philippine Plan of
Action for Senior Citizens (PPASC) 2012-2016, especially the area of concern
“Advancing Health and Well-being” was highlighted in the Country Report.
The
DOH’s thrust of promoting “healthy living and active ageing” was also something
to be proud of. A key to well-being is healthy eating and proper nutrition.
Food choices and basic cooking preparations were just as important as the
amount of food intake. Nutrition and proper eating is also a strategy which can
be used effectively to address health issues and other diseases. Besides
genetic tendencies and ageing consequences, lifestyle practices also contribute
to health risks. Avoidance of vices such as smoking and alcohol drinking, and
most of all drugs, was also emphasized. Being prone to certain injuries because
of weakness and frailty, especially for those slowly ageing already, assistive
devices and safe, age-friendly environments such as facilities and transport
are important.
As
such, with the healthcare needs being a major part of the ageing policies and
programs, there is a need to focus on improving the health human resources
component as well - be it institutionalizing geriatrics and gerontology as part
of the curricula of various disciplines and not just the medical field, or
giving specialized trainings for the “non-formal” medical practitioners, such
as TESDA-trained caregivers and community-based, homecare caregivers.
It
is also important that there should be a proper institutional arrangement or
mechanisms in place to implement the policies and programs for senior citizens.
Thus, the National Coordinating and Monitoring Board (NCMB) and its regional
counterparts, the RCMBs, as well as the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs
(OSCA) are quite significant. It was also interesting to cite that the active
participation of our senior citizens groups, as organized and established
federations and associations ensured the sector’s direct involvement in all
matters pertaining to them. However, even as the DSWD and the DOH are able to
work together and are currently coordinating well, it is still highly advisable
that there be established a primary government agency which shall focus on the
elderly population and all its related concerns, much like the other sectors of
children, women and PWDs, for the purposed of having clear and unified policy
directions, a specific budget allocation, including a dedicated workforce contingent.
Although
the WHO meeting seemed mainly focused on healthcare for the elderly, most of
the recommendations recognized the need for an integrated, comprehensive
approach to elderly care. This includes an improved financial capability that
meant continuing education, employment or livelihood opportunities, assured
pension benefits, accessible and affordable health programs and services, etc. Based
on the sharings of “Best Practices”, the Philippines should be proud of its
government efforts and measures promoting and protecting the rights of our
senior citizens. With all the recommendations about having an “integrated and
comprehensive” approach to elderly care, our RA 9994 alone exactly seeks to
accomplish that already.
Given
the current discussions at the United Nations-level in New York, particularly
the Open-ended Working Group on the proposed UN Convention on the Rights of the
Elderly, a specific treaty or convention as an international human rights
instrument which demands compliance is always a strong compelling basis for
national governments to give attention to the needs of a particular sector. The
DSWD provided essential comments and inputs to the country position the DFA
hoped to advance in August 2013 in New York. The WHO, as a UN body, was requested
to make a similar positive representation in New York to support this stance.
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