Monday, November 27, 2006 Editorial: Dignifying old age
CONRADO BUSTILO turned 81 last Nov. 26.
He survived a stroke. He copes with sundry mulo sa lawas (bodily ills) like diabetes and arthritis.
Despite this, the former first president of the Mabolo Day Care Center for Elderly tries never to miss a Thursday regular meeting for the past 10 years.
With a cane, he attended the Nov. 9, 2006 meeting. Public health midwife Ninfa Rosal said that the day care center’s approximately 60 members were planning to sing Christmas carols for a cause by next month.
The cause chosen by the elderly? “To share their blessings with their fellow elderly in homes for the aged,” said Rosal.
If the Mabolo Day Care Center for Elderly opts to help their own fellow senior citizens first, it may be because they know better than anyone society’s shortcomings to a sector that once contributed significantly to it.
Shortfall
In Feb. 26, 2004, President Arroyo approved Republic Act (RA) 9257, which amends and expands RA 7432.
Like its predecessor, the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003 grants benefits and special privileges “to maximize the contribution of senior citizens to nation building.”
The law recognizes the primary role of the family in taking care of its aged.
However, in keeping with “the valued Filipino tradition of caring for the senior citizens, RA 9257 sets down the framework involving families, communities and sectors in following “an integrated and comprehensive approach to health and other social services... at affordable cost.”
That the law’s grasp falls short of its reach was documented by Sun.Star Cebu in its four-part special report on “Surviving Aging” published last Nov. 20-23, 2006.
Drug debate
The debate rages fiercest in the implementation of the 20-percent discount on medicines. In the series’ first part, the elderly’s most frequent complaints are lodged against pharmacies that declare their stocks have run out or quote higher prices to the senior citizen making the purchase.
According to Sun.Star’s Rene H. Martel and Rianne C. Tecson, an official of the Drugstore Association of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter explained that granting the medicine discount would mean “selling at a loss.”
Perceived as an equally daunting obstacle is the authorities’ requirement that a formal complaint be filed for any investigation to start. Despite anecdotal evidence, no pharmacy has yet been penalized or closed for violating RA 9257, according to the first part of the special report series.
While the series’ second part tackles alternatives-patronizing elderly-friendly outlets, seeking affordable medical options like going herbal and generic-still other senior citizens demand giving teeth to the law.
Lawyer Benjamin Tomimbang, consultant on senior citizens’ affairs of the Mandaue City Government, proposes that government prosecutors should be deputized to handle cases dealing with RA 9257. A national inter-agency coordinating and monitoring board should field teams that will conduct random inspections of pharmacies and other establishments.
Feuds and delays
Similar problems plague the elderly’s availment of the 20-percent mandated discount in fare for domestic travel by land, air or sea.
“Grumbling about not getting transport discounts has not translated into formal complaints” is the general finding in the special report series’ third part.
Also featured last Nov. 22 was Tecson’s report on the shortage of elderly takers availing themselves of the government’s free livelihood training and free continuing education programs.
Health concerns of the elderly are exacerbated by pension delays and perceived inadequacies (tackled in part 2 of the series published last Nov. 21, 2006).
Tackled in the last part of the series is Cherry Ann T. Lim’s report on the non-compliance of the elderly’s five-percent discount on regular retail prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, as well as the 20-percent discount on food and drinks consumed by the elderly in restaurants and other food outlets.
Bright lights
Due to primary concerns on physical health, the social well-being of the elderly must not be overlooked. Part 4’s special report by Mayette Q. Tabada emphasizes the importance of family, community and nongovernment organizations in complementing the efforts of the state to address the needs and concerns of the elderly.
Retirement and reduced physical vigor hardly dent the interest and enthusiasm of many citizens in their prime age to contribute to society.
Though hampered by a cane, Bustilo is one of the few who are last to vacate the health center after their meeting is over. Temporarily abandoning his cane, he helps to stack the chairs to the side.
He can’t do carpentry work anymore, Bustilo says, showing Sun.Star how arthritis has reduced his hands into stiff claws.
But if society will let him, he can still do a lot more, asserts this aging survivor.
