NOT mucg legislation has been made for the benefit and welfare of the Filipino senior citizens. There is no particular law that guarantees sure protection except the Expanded Senior Citizens Act granting them discounts on food, medicines and entertainment as well as transport.
Per latest tabulation, there are 8.7 million senior Filipino citizens and counting by the year, but only about 2.9 million of the total are covered by GSIS or SSS.
Fortunately, Ang Probinsiyano party-list Rep. Ronnie Ong has set his sights on the plight of the Filipino senior citizens and filed House Bill 5382 titled “Senior Citizens Employment Opportunities Act” which seeks to institutionalize a special work-for-pay program for the elderly.
Earlier, his organization has forged a partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment to tap the agency's Tulay Panghanap Buhay para sa Disadvantaged/Displaced workers program or TUPAD. During my incumbency at PESO, I had the chance to implement this program which gave benefits to several qualified beneficiaries.
There would, therefore, be a special employment program for senior citizens much similar in mechanics and implementation of the SPES for the younger citizens.
The perceived program will let senior citizens work with tasks that are important but not physically strenuous - at least three hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon.
Rep. Ong said the retired or elderly individuals should not just be left to fend for themselves or depend entirely on their monthly pensions.
Allowing them to work and earn will give the seniors self-worth and dignity and will encourage them to live longer productively.
He then concludes with a compassionate statement: What is the use of the perks if our senior citizens do not have the money to spend? I really think that the government should open more economic opportunities for our senior citizens and let them enjoy life even in their twilight years.
How touching and I just hope his fellow congressmen would support his bill.
The Filipino senior citizens will definitely be cheered up by this fine gesture of Rep. Ronnie Ong!
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The House bills seeks to amend Section 5 of RA 9954 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act to ensure that seniors will be given priority employment through job matches provided by the DOLE and the National Commission on Senior Citizens.