THE elderly sector is naturally jubilant about a pending bill aimed at the creation of a Senior Citizens Commission. Although not yet privy to its salient provisions, the intended beneficiaries, are optimistic that, this time, the proposed Commission will genuinely address their plights to end the obvious inadequacy of current legislation in providing for their well-deserved entitlement to state-sponsored social and economic benefits.
Anyway, thanks to the current discount and VAT-free privilege on certain purchases as well as other free health-related services. Another consolation is the humored status of seniors as having dual citizenship.
Admittedly, however, to be truly considered as landmark legislation, the proposed commission must focus on the establishment of much-needed infrastructures, such as, hospitals, home for the aged and recreational facilities for the elderly.
The institutionalized access to these facilities will give senior citizens a sense of security and dignity in real time and in the process do away with the importuning of local bureaucracy. Not a few countries are long providing these facilities for the well-deserved enjoyment of their elders.
The proposed commission must have to take-over the full responsibility in the management of all senior citizens-related services now being undertaken by certain national and local government agencies, primarily DSWD.
The assumption by the proposed commission concerning the dispensation of the various social and economic services intended for the elderly will enhance efficiency in their delivery as a result of the consolidation in the processing and approval-- a sort of one-stop shop.
For another, consolidation will do away with the arrogance exhibited by some ill-bred bureaucrats in dealing with the elderly unmindful of the dignity and respect innate in golden age. This unforgivable demeaning culture condoned by traditional politics must end.
Another indispensable concern that the proposed Commission must work on is the statutory empowerment of senior citizens in local legislative bodies.
Concededly, the wisdom, experience and competence attributable to old age is needed to energize local law-making bodies as partners in national development through the enactment of desirable laws to promote the social and economic growth of their respective communities. The fact is that many of our Sanggunians are virtual rubber stamps of local officials.
This is not unexpected because of lack of educational preparedness, motivation and commitment to properly discharge their mandated tasks as local legislators.
Empowering Senior Citizens Association, through their duly chosen representatives, to directly participate in the deliberation of local legislatives is expected to transform this vital local institution as effective agents of the state in the attainment of sustainable peace, progress and unity in Philippine Society.
The elderly sector is fully confident that the Senior Citizens Party-list representative/s in Congress possesses that missionary and visionary zeal to espouse the aforementioned basic needs of Senior Citizens who are anxiously waiting in the wings for their eventual social, economic, and political upliftment through the eventual passage of the envisioned Senior Citizens Commission. When that happens it is comforting to see the light at the end of the tunnel rather than curse the dark past.