Manila: Akbayan Party-list Representatives Percival Cunada±a, Jose Manuel Tadeo 'Chel' Diokno and Dadah Kiram Ismula, along with Dinagat Island Rep. Kaka Bag-ao, have filed a bill seeking the establishment of the Philippine Geriatric Center, a specialized hospital aimed at addressing the medical and health needs of senior citizens.
According to Philippines News Agency, House Bill No. 6833, titled 'An Act Establishing the Philippine Geriatric Center,' aims to provide and sustain comprehensive hospital care for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of diseases and illnesses affecting the elderly. The bill emphasizes the need for a prompt, affordable, high-quality, and people-centered healthcare approach for the aging population.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reports that approximately 9.2 million people, or 8.5 percent of the country's population, are senior citizens, with this number expected to grow. The United Nations forecasts that by 2050, 16.5 percent of the Filipino population will be senior citizens. Moreover, a study notes that 1.84 million or 20 percent of these seniors cannot meet urgent healthcare needs.
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies in 2020 highlighted that only 51.4 percent of older adults are covered by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, despite the Universal Health Care Act's mandate to cover all Filipinos. Diokno and his co-authors of the bill noted that elderly Filipinos and their families still bear more than half of healthcare costs out of pocket, with social insurance and the national health agency contributing smaller portions.
The lawmakers pointed out that around 2.94 million or 32.1 percent of senior citizens lack access to social security services. They also intend for HB 6833 to encourage and assist the Department of Health, other government organizations, medical facilities, local government units, and stakeholders in implementing an integrated strategy and promoting a research-centric approach to geriatric health services.
The bill underscores the importance of senior citizens in Filipino families and nation-building, advocating for the allocation of resources to promote their rights and welfare. Diokno expressed hope that their proposal will soon be approved by both Houses of Congress.
