Filipino culture is distinct in that it entails deep respect and care for our elderly. In the House of Representatives, lawmakers have filed several bills and measures anchored on this Filipino tradition of giving utmost respect to the elderly.
Buhay Party-list Lito Atienza, for instance, has filed House Bill 1107, which seeks to grant recognition and importance to Filipino centenarians by giving them P1 million upon reaching the age of 101.
According to Atienza, his proposal will give the families of our senior citizens the means to continue taking care of their beloved lolos and lolas, as well as to strengthen the traditional family values of caring of the elderly.
“Where in other cultures, senior citizens are sent off to nursing homes instead of being cared for by their own families, we take care of our senior family members and give them the respect, love and attention they deserve,” Atienza told a recent BusinessMirror Coffee Club forum hosted by the ALC Media Group.
He said Filipino senior citizens are remarkable for their industry, saying that they even continue to contribute to their family and community even in their old age. He also praised their resilience in the face of adversity.
“We have a lot of a centenarians who, in their advanced years, should be given the importance they rightfully deserve,” added Atienza, who had initiated programs for the elderly in his private capacity in the 70s.
With Atienza’s bill, 101 years old citizens will receive P1 million with an additional P1 million every birthday, thereafter.
The bill seeks to repeal relevant sections of Republic Act 7432, as amended by RA 9994, otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
80 years old
ON the other hand, Ako Bisaya Party-list Rep. Sonny Lagon said Filipinos who turn 80 should also enjoy some form of financial benefit.
That’s why Lagon filed House Bill 907, seeking to grant P80,000 cash incentives to all Filipinos on their 80th birthday.
He said his proposal seeks to provide the same financial benefits being given to centenarians under RA 10868.
“Our intention in filing HB 907 is to make the cash gift more accessible to more Filipinos and enable them to enjoy it during the twilight years of their lives where medicines and other necessities are more urgent,” said Lagon.
Under RA 10868, otherwise known as the Centenarians Act of 2016, Filipinos who reach the age of 100 years old whether residing in the Philippines or abroad are entitled to a cash reward of P100,000.
Lagon lauded the passage of RA 10868, but pointed out that “very few Filipinos get to live long enough to enjoy these special benefits.”
He cited a World Health Organization study in 2018, stating that the average life expectancy of Filipinos is 69.3 years old.
“It should also be noted that many of those who are lucky enough to qualify for RA 10868 no longer have the mental faculties to appreciate and enjoy the cash gift,” said Lagon.
Image credits: Roy Somingo