‘DON’T call us old. We are just older.” With a mic in front of him and the attention of people around, Eddie Ilarde was in his purest form. The entertainment/politics crossover pioneer was accepting the Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Award—the highest honor bestowed at the recent 6th Dangal Awards, which recognized senior citizens for their outstanding role in the community. Ilarde’s speech embodied the living legend’s vintage self: Comedic, sharp-witted and delivered in that sweet, sweet radio voice.
“Don’t let anyone call you old,” said the 84-year-old radio/TV icon and one-time senator, speaking to the audience at the Unilab Bayanihan Center in Pasig City last week. “Besides, tayong mga senior citizen ang pinakamayaman sa lipunan: Compared to everyone else, we have more silver in the hair, gold in the teeth, stones in the liver and gas in the stomach.”
Dangal stands for Dakilang Adhikain ng Ating Lahi, and is an offshoot of the pioneering retirement program Unilab launched for its employees in 1959 called the United Retirement Plan. Over the years, the program expanded, and has become the biggest elderly-dedicated annual awards showcase it is today through the joint undertaking between the BusinessMirror and Unilab, with the support of United Bayanihan Foundation and RiteMED.
- Anthony C. Cabangon, publisher of the BusinessMirror, presented Ilarde with the prestigious recognition named after his late father. He said the former ambassador believed in the capacity of the elderly to serve as productive members of society.
“Mataas ang respeto niya sa mga senior citizen na patuloy na lumilikha ng daan upang matupad ang kanilang mga pangarap [He had a high respect for seniors who continue to find ways to pursue their dreams],” Cabangon said. “Sa pagdaan ng panahon, ang respetong ito ay naging panata ng aking ama, panatang kilalanin ang samut-saring kontribusyon nila sa komunidad at sa bayan [With time, this respect became my father’s vow—a vow to recognize their contributions to community and country].”
Besides Ilarde, the Dangal Awards honored six individuals and five groups committed to raise the welfare of senior citizens in their respective communities.
Day care for elderly
One of the individual awardees is Ma. Corazon Benavidez of Pasig City. A 74-year-old retired teacher and current barangay captain, Benavidez pitches projects to keep her senior constituents active and engaged. Her initiatives include free fitness programs such as Zumba, aerobics and tai chi, as well as a planned “Elderly Day Care.”
Benavidez envisions a facility where the elderly can come in and spend the day occupied with mental exercises, handicraft sessions, information seminars, and even basic computer classes to learn how to use an iPad or write an email—all while waiting for their family to come off from work.
“If it gets the approval, I want the Elderly Day Care project to be my legacy,” Benavidez said on the sidelines of the event. “But overall, I’m just so happy because my seniors are enjoying their lives. Maybe that’s why even at 74, I’m still full of energy.”
Another Dangal individual awardee, Julia Chupungco of Pateros, has been an officer of the Pateros Office of Senior Citizen Affairs for 21 years. The 84-year-old finds fulfillment in bringing closer together senior members of her community through fund-raising projects and community-building activities.
According to Chupungco, nothing compares to the bond between senior citizens. “Masaya ang samahan namin kasi magkaka-edad kami at nagkakaintindihan kaming lahat [Our relationship is happy because we are of similar ages and understand each other],” she said. “At ayaw naming nasa bahay lang—walang gagawin. Pero ’pag magkakasama kami, naaliw kami [We don’t want to stay home idle. When we’re together, we’re engaged].”
A sense of belongingness, of understanding, both of which ultimately trace to one thing: attention. It is also what Salome Bautista of Quezon City focuses on in her community work, as she believes it’s the one thing that matters most to the elderly.
“Mababaw lang ang kailangan ng mga senior. Kailangan lang nila ng pansin [Seniors have simple needs. They just need attention],” said the third Dangal individual awardee. Bautista works for the Diocese of Novaliches mainly as a parish organizer, leading cooking and livelihood projects in the seven parishes under her jurisdiction. She is committed to serve the people as long as she could, a pledge driven by love, faith and humility.
Rounding out the six individual awardees are Loreto Binuya of Aurora Province and Cornelio Valencia of Mandaluyong. Binuya is a retired US Marine officer who came to Aurora and saw the hardships suffered by many senior citizens in his hometown. Using his own resources, he went to the rural areas and promoted an active lifestyle among the elderly. Meanwhile, Valencia is a retired officer of the Philippine Army. He organizes handicraft sessions and information drives to help senior citizens in his area become familiar with laws outlining their benefits.
The Dangal Awards also recognized local organizations of senior citizens. The winners of the group category are Parkhomes Senior Citizens Association Inc. (Pasca) of Muntinlupa City; SSDD Senior Citizen Volunteers of Quezon City; Association of Retired Educators of Makati City Inc. (Redmak); Senior Citizens Group of District 1 of the City of Manila; and Legion of Vibrant Elders (LOVE) of Parañaque City.
Among the event’s distinguished guests was keynote speaker Sen. Grace Poe, who maintained that the elderly is close to her heart. She said her affinity with them is rooted in her mother, 77-year-old actress and former Dangal awardee Susan Roces.
“I can say my mother is lucky because her daily needs are met, and she’s supported by the people she loves,” the senator said in Filipino, adding that “unfortunately, not everyone at that age is as lucky.”
Poe cited the Philippine Statistics Authority projection that by 2030, the elderly will comprise 11.15 percent of the country’s population. This, despite the fact that the Philippines reported a measly pension coverage of 28 percent for all retirees age 65 and above.
Poe said that along with her office filing bills that aim to support senior citizens, these people should also be accorded with the respect and gratitude that they deserve.
Addressing the senior citizens in the audience, Poe said: “If not for your guidance and care, we would not be here. Whenever we got sick, you stayed awake to watch us. When we were hungry, you prepared our meals. It’s time for us to return our respect and show gratitude,” Poe added.