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FILIPINO SENIOR CITIZENS PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT: Preliminary

Discussion and Analysis of the Extent of the Participation in Philippine Politics
and Legislation

Research · June 2015

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.1198.3528

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 FILIPINO SENIOR CITIZENS PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT: Preliminary
Discussion and Analysis of the Extent of the Participation in Philippine Politics
and Legislation1

By Alfredo M. Antonio, Doctor of Development Studies student

1.0 BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION

1.1 Basic Demographics of the Elderly in the Philippines: A force to reckon with in the
future

There were a total of 4.6 million people aged 60 and above, who are regarded by the Philippine
Constitution of 1987 as senior citizens (Census 2000). They make up a total of six percent of the
total population. This figure is almost a quarter percent increase from the last Census of 1995
(22%). With an anticipated growth rate of 4.49% every five years, their toal population is expected
to reach 7million by 2010.

In 2000, the sex distribution of the elderly population is as follows: females make up 54.11% of
the total elderly population while males constitute the remaining 45.89%. The sex ratio is
therefore 85 males for every 100 females.

In terms of educational attainment, 10.15% of the elderly in 2000 did not finish any grade; 60%
finished at most elementary; 15.69% finished at most high school; 4.85% reached college and
only 5% completed a degree; the rest are comprised by those who took up vocational and post-
graduate courses.

Employment-wise, 57.07% were gainful workers at the time of the Census broken down as
follows:

 40.59% engaged in farming, fishing and forestry; and

 9.61% were laborers and unskilled workers

Majority of the elderly were found to be suffering from some form of blindness – total or partial –
and deafness – total or partial.

Essentially, the aforementioned numbers point to the elderly as a sector of Philippine society that
can no longer be ignored. However, it may then be asked: why put emphasis on elderly
participation in the first place? The following are some reasons:

 Citizens aged 60 and above are expected to total 7 million by 2010 and to near 10 million
by 2016, assuming trend continues.
 Filipinos are living longer wrought by higher education and other factors such as better
health care and in some cases, nutrition (Life expectancy as of 2000: 67.5)

1Paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the course DVS523P: “Participation and
Development”, Department of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University (April 02,
2008)
  Currently, 65 is the official retirement age; hence, people who have retired, but are still
considered able-bodied can still do something worthwhile and productive for themselves
and their respective families and communities.

1.2 Legal Bases for Elderly Participation and Protection

The country which according to literatures, whether evident or anecdotal, is largely respectful of
its senior citizens. The following are the three major laws that cover aspects of senior citizen’s
requirements, to wit:

1) Republic Act 7432 or the Senior Citizens Act of 1992, primarily authored by Senator
Edgardo Angara, grants a 20% discount on purchase of medicines and other things
needed by the elderly, subject to an income ceiling of P60,000 per annum (subject to a
review by the National Economic Development Authority once every three years); the
same law provides for the establishment of an Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCAs)
in cities and municipalities to be headed by a councilor under the Office of the Mayor (the
said OSCA is primarily responsible for issuing senior citizens cards for the latter to avail
of the 20% discount on selected goods and services.)
2) Republic Act 7876, otherwise known as the Senior Citizens Center Act provides for the
establishment of a Senior Citizen’s Center in every municipality and the provision of funds
for it; the center should provide venues and avenues for the elderly to be productive and
healthy and interestingly, the law provides that the centers should be run the elderly
themselves.
3) RA 9257 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, took off from the provisions of RA
7432 and expands the (discount) privileges accorded to senior citizens to cover among
others, burial and funeral expenses, and training or non-formal education courses; the law
is largely seen as cushioning the impact of inflation among the ranks of the elderly.

1.3 The Philippines as a Signatory to the World Conference on Ageing

Filipino culture about the elderly – and the two laws passed before the Expanded Senior Citizens
Act of 2003 – seemed a natural take-off point for the Philippines to be a signatory to the Madrid
International Plan of Ageing (MIPAA) in 2002. Signatories to MIPAA categorically:

“commit ourselves to eliminate all forms of discrimination, including age

discrimination. We also recognize that persons, as they age, should enjoy a
life of fulfillment, health, security and active participation in the economic,
social, cultural and political life of their societies. We are determined to
enhance the recognition of the dignity of the older persons, and to eliminate all
forms of neglect, abuse and violence.”

The Political Declaration (pertinent to participation and development) categorically states

“empowerment of older people and the promotion of their full participation are essential elements
of active aging.” Since MIPAA recognizes that older people’s participation in societal
development is crucial for both older people’s needs and the overall economic needs of society,
MIPAA calls for the following to be a crucial part of development agenda:

 The recognition of the contribution and the role that older people play in all these aspects
of life: economic, political, social and cultural life
 Specific actions to be taken by employers, volunteering organizations, civic authorities
and education providers to ensure meaningful participation by older people

2
  Participation of older people in decision-making processes at all levels (HelpAge
International website, 2008).

One of the weaknesses seen by development organizations with regard to Madrid 2002 is the
source of funding for its full implementation. Another is the monitoring of the salient agreements.
The Philippines, after signing the agreement, crafted a Philippine Plan of Action for Senior
Citizens (PPASC). The plan of action which is actually in two phases (from 2002 to 2006 and
from 2006 to 2010) commits the Philippine Government to safeguard and protect the rights of its
senior citizens. A National Coordinating and Monitoring Board for the Elderly was constituted to
monitor and evaluate the implementation of the PPASC, and at the forefront is the Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The Philippines reports to the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) about developments on
Madrid 2002, the last one being held in Macau in October of last year.

1.4 Possible Participation of the Elderly in Politics and Legislation

The following are some of the possible avenues whereby senior citizens in the Philippines can
take part in politics and legislation:

1) As elective sectoral representative to the House of Representatives by virtue of Article VI,

Section 5 of the Philippine Constitution (about the Party List System) and RA 7941
2) As elective congressmen and senators to the House
3) As members of senior citizens organizations by virtue of RA 7876 and other DSWD
implementing guidelines
4) As member of the electorate (voting privileges)

1.5 Some Definition of Terms

1) Participation – broadly defined as a “process of taking part in different aspects of societal

life: political, economic, social, cultural and others. It could take the following forms:
a) Direct
b) Representational – by selecting representatives from the membership-based groups
and associations
c) Political through elected representatives
d) Information-based – with data-aggregated, and reported directly or through
intermediaries to local and national decision-makers (Sidorenko, 2006).

2) Legislative Processes – in this context, the whole process of enabling a law (from
drafting to sponsorship of a bill by a member of the House of Representatives to
deliberations, and eventually bill consolidation through the bicameral committee hearing,
and the signing of the bill into law by the president of the Republic of the Philippines).

3) Senior Citizens Associations – in this context, groups whose members are people 60
and above and exist in barangays and municipalities that are duly recognized by
appropriate laws, and are enlisted under the OSCAs existing in the municipalities and
cities in the Philippines.

3
2.0 Review of Related Literature

Participation in social development has been discussed at length in various literatures.

There is a distinction between a more direct level of participation – that is, termed as project-level
participation – and a not-so direct one, which has been referred to as representative or
representation participation (Sharp, 1995).

The meaning of participation differs for different people in the sense that it could be affected by
the issue where participation is needed, its timing, and the political setting in which it will be taking
place (Sanoff, 2000). However, there are at least four essential characteristics of participation:

1) Participation is inherently good.

2) It can be a source of wisdom and information about local conditions, needs and attitudes,
and can thus help in improving the effectiveness of decision-making.
3) It is an inclusive and pluralistic approach by which fundamental human needs are fulfilled
and user values reflected.
4) It is a means of defending the interests of groups of people and of individuals, and a tool
for satisfying their needs that are often ignored and dominated by large organizations,
institutions and their inflated bureaucracies (Sanoff, 2000).

Literatures have varying opinion on the nature and impact or influence of participation of senior
citizens in political activities, to wit:

Proponents of a so-called Senior Power in the United States believe that the elderly could be a
force to reckon with in policy development and reinforcement. This is so because “legislators and
appointed officials are influenced by public opinion, especially those who vote and are partly
leaders, as in the case with older people” (Hooyman and Kiyak, 2005). This is consistent with the
subculture theory of aging which suggests that “older people, because of common values and
experiences, develop a shared political consciousness that is translated into collective action on
old-age related issues (Rix, 1999 as quoted in Hooyman and Kiyak, 2005). Moreover, the elderly
is also represented by mass interests in the U.S. who are invited by policy makers in policy
activities, presumably to get in touch with organizations of older people. This arrangement
enables older people to:

 Have easy access to public officials, members of the Congress and their staffs as well as
their legitimacy;
 Obtain public platforms in the national media, congressional hearings, national
conferences, and other commissions that deal with issues of elderly;
 Mobilize members of mass membership groups to contact policy makers and register
displeasure on certain issues (Binstock and Quadagno, 2001 as quoted in Hooyman and
Kiyak, 2005).

On the other hand, the other school of thought points to the negative:

Age alone cannot be seen as predictive of political behavior or age-based consciousness, since
many older people do not regard themselves as “aged”, especially those belonging to the young-
old. Likewise, many older persons are not captives of any single political philosophy, party, or
mass organization. Moreover, some people argue that the term “elderly” is created by policy
analysts and other agency officials, thereby not being a sound basis political mobilization.

4
What influences older people’s interests to get involved in issues are differences in socio-
economic class, gender and religion (Binstock and Day, 1996, as quoted in Hooyman and Kiyak,
2005).

However, the scenario of political participation does not seem to be evident in the Philippines as
there is a dearth of scholarly literature on the extent of political participation of senior citizens in
the country. If at all, senior citizens’ participation in the political arena could be regarded as
“token”. The OSCAs in local government units merely process senior citizens IDs for the elderly
to avail of discounts on purchases, especially medicines, which many of them badly need.
However, the column of Ramon Farolan in the Philippine Daily Inquirer entitled Reveille lists a
number of complaints pertaining to the resistance of various establishments around the country
in providing discounts to the elderly.

Former Senator Eduardo “Eddie” Ilarde, president of the Golden Eagles Society, International,
Inc. commented on the abovementioned and said, “respect for the Filipino elderly had been
tainted by materialistic Western values, causing its disregard by younger generation.” He
lamented the fact that “if our culture and values, mentality and thought had remained pure, the
younger Filipinos would now still be treating their elders with reverence and respect – as people
of other Asian countries still do” (Manila Bulletin, January 18, 2008). This, even if DSWD Assistant
Secretary Parisya Hashim Tradji reported in the “High Level Meeting on the Regional Review of
the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA)” in Macao, China in October 2007
that:

“In the Philippines, one of the distinct traits which remains to be entrenched in Filipino
families, is the high regard for older persons. Considering the family as a basic unit society,
the role being played by the elderly in the development of their families and communities
can never be played down.”

Meanwhile, care for the elderly is influenced by socio-economic as well as political and cultural
factors. In 2005, the Coalition of Services for the Elderly (COSE), a non-government organization
that organizes senior citizens associations in Quezon City and other parts of the Philippines,
reported that due to the aging population in many developed countries, including Japan, the need
for caregivers from other countries is increasing. Filipinos who are supposed to care for their own
elderly are going abroad to care for the elderly of other families (COSE Briefing Paper, 2005).

However, there are perceived gaps in understanding what motivates, drives and/or prevents
elderly people from taking part in political affairs in the Philippines. It remains a fact that there is
a dearth of scholarly literature in the Philippines that discusses the extent of political participation
of senior citizens in the country.

5
3.0 Conceptual Framework Positive/ Negative/
Reinforcing Hindering
Factors Factors

Participation of the
Participation of Legal Framework elderly in politics and Participation in politics &
civil society in for Participation of legislation as a viable legislation (crafting of bills;
comprehensive/ Elderly: MIPAA
sustainable endeavor for pushing lobbying; participation in
2002; RAs 7876 for reforms within the party list; direct voting;
development
& 9741: Phil. senior citizens sector others)
(Stiglitz, 2002;
Warburton, 2000) Constitution in the Philippines

Government agencies Enactment of

& NGOs supporting pro-elderly
the elderly legislation

Implementation
and enforcement
of pro-elderly
legislation

Technical Explanation

Since the whole aspect of development is quite broad, Stiglitz, 2002 and Warburton, 2000, maintained that
civil society’s participation in it is crucial. It is not only the government and the private sector that should
be influencing public policy, rather those sectors that are directly affected by the implementation as well as
implications of economic development or underdevelopment.

Stiglitz particularly emphasized the importance of processes, not just outcomes, in the development
agenda. Processes bridge the gap between law-makers and those whose interests they are supposed to
serve, more than their respective parties. For her part, Warburton stressed the importance of “communities”
in effecting social change. While she argues that there have been problems and issues with regard to the
notion of what a community is, the prospect of grassroots initiatives to restore the social fabric and the re-
defining of relationships to guarantee participation and decision-making in a collective context are important
in the field of social development.

Participation of the elderly in community and political affairs has been technically guaranteed by the
passage of laws in the Philippines on the one hand, and the boarder perspective of international
declarations on ageing, on the other hand. Effective participation of the elderly in politics and legislation
should render themselves productive – an aspect of their particular quest to be heard and to be able to
articulate their agenda to the public for advocacy purposes.

However, the assistance of institutions is needed to push forward the agenda of older persons in the
Philippines even as several factors either impede or contribute to the harnessing of the political skills of the
elderly: the elderly cannot do it alone, so to speak. But at the end of the day, they are expected to push
the agenda by themselves and for themselves, in the spirit of comprehensive and sustainable development.
Enactment and enforcement of pro-elderly legislation is still their primary responsibility, with the aid of
external agencies.

6
4.0 Objectives of the Study

The study aims to provide a picture of how the elderly in the Philippines are taking part in political
activities, primarily in the field of legislation that directly concerns their sector in particular.
However, the attempt will be an initial one and this study merely aims to just scrape off the face
of elderly participation in politics and legislation, so to speak and not really intend to delve into it,
yet2.

Specifically, this study aims to provide answers to the following:

1. What are the bills that are presently being discussed in the House of Representatives that
directly pertain to the rights and welfare of senior citizens in the Philippines? What are
their essence or nature and possible implications to the elderly in the Philippines, if any?
2. What is the role of senior citizen groups and associations in the Philippines in passing bills
for legislation?
3. What are the existing systems and processes that promote or inhibit senior citizens
participation in legislation?
4. What suggestions and recommendations can be put forward to encourage the larger
involvement of senior citizens groups in politics and legislation?

5.0 Methodology

1) Interview with senior citizens groups, primarily with COSE and its partner coalition of
organizations, COPAP or the Coalition of Older Persons Assocaitions in the Philippines.
Interviews are meant to solicit opinions of leaders on key issues that impact on their
participation in politics and legislation at the moment. The results of the interviews will be
analyzed based on the theoretical framework given.
2) Review of secondary sources (news clippings and other resources). The study will
make full use of existing literature in the Philippines about the subject matter and consult
the web for additional information and resources.

6.0 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study would not analyze in-depth the pros and cons of the current bills up for discussion at
the House of Representatives; rather, the bills would be analyzed for the purpose of saying
something about their present context: the bills would just be enumerated for identification
purposes.

There is no discussion on the profile of incumbent senior citizen congressmen and senators.
While this seems interesting to tackle, this is not covered by the study.

The conclusions that will be generated by this study might have to be studied further, and
deepened, to be able to construct a more in-depth picture of the nature and extent of their
participation in politics and legislation.

2As there is a dearth of scholarly research on the nature and extent of political and legislative participation
of senior citizens in the Philippines, it might be enriching and helpful for scholars of political science,
sociology and development studies to delve into this topic in the future.

7
7.0 Finding of the Study

The following are some of the bills filed on behalf of the elderly at the 14th Congress. The bills
are clustered or identified according to the subject matter they are tackling (subject headings are
of the author’s). All have been referred to the Committee on Population and Family Relations and
are still pending there at the moment.

7.1 Bills Filed in Congress Re The Elderly Question

Table 1. Compilation of Pending Bills on the Elderly at the 14 th Congress

Classification House Full Title of the Bill Date Filed Principal Author
Bill (HB) (Day-Month-
Number Year)
Those that pertain to 01032 An Act Imposing Stiffer Penalties on 11-07-2007 Solis, Jose G.
expansion of the Pharmacies and Drug Stores Which Refuse to (read on 01-
coverage of RA 9257 Honor Senior Citizen Card Issued by the 08-2007)
Government
01100 An Act Amending Section 4 of RA 7432, as 12-07-2007 Golez, Roilo S.
Amended by RA 9257 to Compensate the (read on 01-
Negative Effect of RA 9337 on the Discount 08-2007)
Privilege of Senior Citizens Provided
Thereunder and for Other Purposes
02100 An Act Increasing the Discount Privileges for 16-08-2007 Mangudadatu,
Senior Citizens from All Establishments (read on 29- Datu Pax S.
Amending for the Purpose Section 4 of RA 08-2007)
9257 Otherwise Known as “An Act to Maximize
the Contribution of Senior Citizens to Nation-
Building, Grant Benefits and Special Privileges
and for Other Purposes as Amended
02399 An Act Amending RA 9257 Otherwise Known 04-09-2007 Binay, Mar-Len
as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003 (read on 17- Abigail S.
09-2007)
03183 An Act Granting All Qualified Senior Citizens 29-11-2007 Arroyo, Diosdado
Twenty Percent (20%) Discount on Gasoline, (read on 05- Ignacio Jose Maria
Kerosene, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and 12-2007) M.
Other Petroleum Products, Amending for the
Purpose Section 4 of RA 7432 Otherwise
Known as “An Act to Maximize the Contribution
of Senior Citizens to Nation-Building, Grant
Benefits and Special Privileges and for Other
Purposes”
03455 An Act Increasing and Expanding the Benefits 29-11-2008 Abante,
Granted to Senior Citizens, Amending for the (read on 05- Bienvenido Jr., M.
Purpose RA Nos. 7432 and 9257, and for Other 02-2008) Primary Referral:
Purposes Population and
Family Relations
Secondary
Referral/s: Way and
Means
Those that pertain to 00444 An Act Granting Old-Age Pension for Life to 02-07-2007 Del Mar, Raul V.
providing the elderly Senior Citizens who Retired under RA 1616 as (read on 30-
with pension well as Survivorship Benefits to Survivors 07-2007)
(pension plans and
coverages)

8
 Classification House Full Title of the Bill Date Filed Principal Author
Bill (HB) (Day-Month-
Number Year)
02765 An Act to Encourage Social and Economic 01-10-2007 Zialcita, Eduardo
Development through Montly Pensions to the (read on 05- C.
Elderly Poor, Appropriating Funds Therefore 10-2007) Primary Referral:
and Other Purposes (Short Title: Elderly Poor Population and
Pension Act) Family Relations
Secondary
Referral/s:
Appropriations
Previous Referral/s:
Social Services on
03-11-2007
Those that pertain to 0578 An Act Establishing a Senior Citizens 02-07-2007 Daza, Nanette C.
the long-term Technology and Livelihood Center in Every (read on 30-
improvement of Barangay and Appropriating Funds Therefor 07-2007)
health and general
welfare of the elderly
in the Philippines
02438 An Act Providing a Comprehensive Program to 05-09-2007 Lazatin, Carmelo
Address Long-Term Care Needs of Senior (read on 17- F.
Citizens, Providing Funds Therefor and for 07-2007)
Other Purposes (Short Title: Senior Citizens
Long-Term Care Act)
02605 An Act to Establish a Job Training Program for 19-09-2007 Rodriguez,Rufus
Mature or Older Workers (Short Title: Mature (read on 26- B.
and Older Workers Act) 09-2007)
02605 An Act to Establish a Job Training Program for 19-09-2007 Rodriguez,Rufus
Mature or Older Workers (Short Title: Mature (read on 26- B.
and Older Workers Act) 09-2007)
02708 An Act Establishing and Institutionalizing Long- 25-09-2007 Arroyo, Diosdado
Term Care for Senior Citizens, Providing Funds (read on 02- Ignacio
Therefor and for Other Purposes (Short Title: 10-2007) Primary Referral:
The Long Term Act for Senior Citizens) Population and
Family Relations
Secondary
Referral/s:
Appropriations
02717 An Act Providing for Lump Sum Benefit 03-10-2007 Alcala, Proceso J.
Assistance to the Nearest Surviving Relative of (read on 10-
a Deceased Senior Citizen in the Amount of 10-2007)
Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) as an
Additional Benefit

Notes on the Proposed Bills

It is interesting to note that several congressmen at the 14th Congress are proposing to increase the
discount on specific purchases of goods and services for the elderly from 20% to about 30-40%. They
argue that with the 12% Value Added Tax (VAT) that practically leaves the discount being enjoyed by the
elderly to just about eight percent. This does not include the actual experiences of the elderly in enjoying
their privilege, given that many among them face some resistance from drug stores and other establishment
in terms of handing them the legal discount. It seems that not all establishment are open to the idea of
extending the requirement to senior citizens, especially on medicines and drugs purchased by other family
members. Likewise, implementation of the automatic 20% discount on fare in public transportation is not
uniformly observed as some conductors or drivers are more open to give it to the senior citizens than the
others.

9
As for the elderly pension, HB 27653, sponsored by Rep. Lazatin, is the synthesis of a proposal by COPAP,
the proposal in itself is the product of consultations with their members and leaders (See the following
section.) Rep. Lazatin himself is a senior citizen at 73 years old.

HB 2348 as proposed by Rep. Lazatin is akin to the “Magna Carta for Older People” (HB 431) proposed by
Rep. Edgar Lara during the 12th Congress – except probably for the fact that Lazatin’s bill is more specific
on certain provisions, for example, the granting of a burial package worth P15,000 to low-income families.
The Magna Carta, as presented by former DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman during a meeting of the
UNESCAP in 2002, proposed the long-term care of the elderly and the constitution of a Naitonal Council of
Older Persons that would be tasked to ensure participation of the elderly in political concerns and advocacy
issues. The said Magna Carta was diluted and eventually enacted into law as the Expanded Senior Citizens
Act of 2003.

Lazatin’s proposed “Senior Citizens Long-Term Care Act” has the following components:

a) Social welfare – provision of support systems and interventions that should alleviate risks
associated with aging.
b) Livelihood and employment generation – proposal to extend retirement age to 70 even as
employment generation through environmental activities and agriculture is proposed to be
provided.
c) Social insurance – “concept of social pension” to cover elderly from loss of income due to old age:
innovative schemes are proposed which could be channeled through caregivers of the elderly,
especially those who are disabled and dependent on their families for survival.
d) Social safety net – protection of the elderly from the effects of natural and man-made disasters
(provision of scholarship to beneficiaries of older persons who are 18 and below to alleviate burden
of grandparents; burial package of P15,000.
e) Senior citizens development – lifelong education and instruction; establishment of volunteer
resource services.
f) Advancement of health and well-being
 Development and provision of geriatric training both at the family and community level
 Mandatory PhilHealth coverage for non-contributory senior citizens
 Community-based training on caregiving to frail and dying senior citizens in the community
 Provision of additional P50,000 per month to help finance needs and requirements of
government-sanctioned Homes for the Aged in the Philippines to accommodate needs of
senior citizens who are abandoned, sick, unattached and homeless.

Note that HB 2078 proposed by Arroyo has more or less the same features as the one proposed by Lazatin.
The two bills have been proposed to be merged.

7.2 Participation of the Elderly in Politics and Legislation

7.2.1 Elderly’s perception on the importance of passing legislation on behalf of their sector
(or why do they think having a law that is having trouble with implementation implemented
is better than not having one at all?)

Brief notes about COSE

The Coalition of Services for the Elderly is a non-government organization committed to promoting
the rights and welfare of the Filipino elderly. Through the Coalition of Older People’s Associations
in the Philippines (COPAP), a federation of 60 older persons’ organizations (OPO’s) from the
communities it supports in the Philippines, COSE implements what it calls Community-Based

3The proposed social pension bill should face rough sailing in the Congress given that it would entail
necessary appropriations.

10
Programs for the Elderly (CBPE). From the NGO’s perspective, these CBPEs facilitate the
groundwork for COPAP’s member-organizations to become any of the following:
 Community gerontologists
 Peer counselors
 Fund raisers
 Socials organizers
 Community organizers
 Advocacy officers
 And others

COSE serves as a technical and service support group to COPAP and vigorously organizers and
mobilizes elderly participation through training, advocacy and other programs. It is also actively
involved in mobilizing government support to senior citizens through participation in legislation
and policy formulation. COSE serves as a member of the National Coordinating and Monitoring
board (NCMB) for the Elderly, a task force that is responsible for monitoring the implementation
of the PPASC, taking off from the MIPAA, as well as the implementation of RA 9257.

The importance of having a law on the elderly

COPAP President Salvacion Basiano, 63 years old, and a resident of De La Costa Homes in
Novaliches, Quezon City, maintained that is necessary to have laws that should benefit the
elderly. This, regardless if it takes a law “10 or 12 years to be passed or its provisions to be
implemented because “many government agencies only value what is written in black and white.”
Without laws, “the elderly will just be relegated to the background, and will therefore be left
unattended and virtually forgotten,” she added. Mrs. Basiano stressed that it took a law for the
DSWD to seriously consider forming and supporting SCA’s all over the country. Dioscorro
Benalla, head of COPAP’s Committee on Issues, Policy and Advocacy, said that “even with the
presence of a law, various sectors interpret such in different ways, what more if there is none.”

Passage of appropriate laws recognizes the contribution of older persons in nation-building. Mrs.
Basiano said that “if we just wait for the government to take the initiative to pass laws on our
behalf, nothing will happen.” It is the law that should provide teeth to what should be done on
behalf of the elderly.

Mrs. Basiano noted the following reasons why it is important to take part in legislation in a more
direct manner:
 Older persons lobby for the passing of other bills such as Cheaper Medicine Bill but there
is no bill being deliberated on behalf of the elderly that has been crafted by the elderly
themselves.
 There is a need to put more pressure on the legislative assembly to consider (and pass)
legislation for the elderly.

Lobbying at the Philippine Congress and outside its confines: some more lessons learned

One of the major lessons learned by COPAP in dealing with the government is that it is very
difficult to have a bill passed into law. In 1998, during the 11th Congress, Rep. Lara introduced
HB 431, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta for Older People”, a bill when passed should
outline major reforms that would protect and secure the retirement and even death of older
persons. Among the more notable features of the bills is the establishment of a National Council
for Older Persons that would ensure the active participation of older persons in policy formulation
and drafting or implementing rules and guidelines for the elderly.

11
Deliberations and hearings were held to discuss the merits of this bill. In the process, older
persons were invited to attend hearings for them to have an idea about the process it would have
to undergo for it be enacted into law, and especially how other members of the House viewed the
said bill. COSE created and trained an advocacy team that sat in the committee hearings, drafted
letters, and spoke with legislators.

However, the 11th Congress was cut short owing to the impeachment of President Joseph
Estrada.

The same bill was re-filed during the next Congress. Older persons initiated a signature campaign
in support of the Magna Carta and were able to amass a total of 60,000 signatures, eventually
submitted to Congress for signification. The advocacy team visited radio stations, called press
conferences to make known the issues being encountered by older people, and pushed on with
their networking activities, especially with the legislators.

During the October 1, 2002 celebration of the International Day of Older Persons, older people
demanded the passing of the Magna Carta. They held a forum-rally to articulate their position on
the proposed bill as well as voiced out their concerns and issues publicly.

The Magna Carta was essentially watered down to become an extension of the original Senior
Citizens Act of 1992 principally authored by Senator Edgardo Angara. The bill that was eventually
passed has been called the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, apparently in an “effort to
appease Angara,” according to Ed Gerlock, COSE program officer.

The whole experience taught the elderly that a bill, for all intent and purposes, does not
necessarily retain its essence, owing to politicking – including realignments and accommodations
– that takes place in the House and in the Senate. Nonetheless, the experience in networking
and advocacy also taught them the significance of having a law, regardless of the
accommodations that go with it. For all intents and purposes, the elderly learned the value of fully
understanding the legislative process – and be involved in it as direct as possible. They also
came to appreciate the role being played by the media in articulating their issues and concerns.

Drafting of a bill by the elderly themselves: a product of participatory research

About the Bill

HB 2765 as proposed by Rep. Zialcita is the first attempt by a senior citizens group to draft a
bill by themselves, aided by senior staff from COSE. The bill is the result of a process that
COPAP underwent, one that involved the communities and how they regarded the poorest of
the poor among them, especially what could be done to alleviate their condition.

Background/Rationale of the Research

Mrs. Basiano related that the main text of HB 2765 is actually a product of a research
conducted by their member-associations in their respective communities two years ago. The
idea of conducting a survey stemmed from a suspicion that CBPEs do not reach the poorest
of the poor in COSE’s assisted communities. While they believe that “economically poor
people” are residing in the communities, COPAP had no idea who constitutes the “poorest of
the poor” and what their characteristics are.

Conduct of a Participatory Action Research (PAR)

12
With the help of academic researchers from the University of the Philippines, leaders were
taught the basic methodology of Participatory Action Research (PAR). Members and leaders
of COPAP’s OPO’s met together and divided the “territory” to work in teams. Then, the elderly
proceeded with their “door-to-door” data-gathering.

Defining the “Poorest of the Poor” from the Lens of the Elderly Themselves

The following were the “poorest of the poor” indicators they culled from their interviews with
households with elderly constituents:
 No place to live (fundamentally living on the streets)
 Nothing to eat or eat from the garbage cans
 Neglected and abandoned (alone in life)
 Beggars
 Sick but cannot afford medicines
 No hope or dreams
 Abused

When the initial outcome of the research was processed with the elderly-researchers, the
latter were able to arrive at the following as the causes (and effects) of poverty among the
elderly:
 Poor diet
 Poor education
 Bad decisions in life
 No money
 Poor health
 No work
 No opportunities
 No help for older people (from government)
 Government supports the developers, but not the poor.

They then arrived at a consensus that support systems for older people at many levels are
fundamentally lacking:

 Family (“even when it is considered as the basic unit of society and is seen as the
main protector of parents when they get old.”)
 Organization of older people (“including the SCA’s in the barangays and
municipalities.”)
 Church and other sectors
 Government (“Services are not enough and laws are not being implemented as
effectively as they should have.”)

PAR’s Impact on the Researchers

These descriptive indicators were processed with the elderly-researchers and the
following were noted during the processing meetings: The experience of conducting the
data-gathering themselves was both memorable and momentous for many among them
because they have seen for themselves – and in the process rediscovered – the extent
and depth of poverty in their own neighborhoods. They said the reality of poverty was
quite “overwhelming”. Many among them openly wept after recounting their data-
gathering experience.

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 Need for a social pension: likely answer?

The fundamental outcome of this research is the decision to have some sort of ‘social
pension” to cover the “aging” requirements of the elderly in the Philippines. The pension
as proposed by COPAP through Rep. Zialcita does not attempt to cover all older persons,
but only those who belong to the “poorest of the poor” as they have themselves defined.

Training on legislating or enacting laws

Leaders participated in a seminar that attempted to provide an overview of the legislative

process in the Philippines. The training primarily discussed how a bill is sponsored by a
congressman and what happens to it in between until it reaches the bicameral committee
before it finally becomes a law.

All in all this training made the leaders more receptive of the fact that the process of
enacting a bill is more tedious than they previously imagined. Nonetheless, getting
oriented with the nature of legislation in the country made them appreciate the importance
of having a law with respect to the elderly: that it may take a while for pro-elderly legislation
to be passed and eventually implemented but it’s the only way to go if they wish to see
tangible improvements in their standard of living in the long run.

7.2.2 Direct participation in committee hearings (and potential direct participation in the
Technical Working Committees)

Representatives of senior citizens groups are formally invited to attend committee hearings (case
in point: hearing of March 5, 2008 re harmonization of different bills on pension for older persons.)

The Committee on Population and Family Relations’ hearing of March 5th was intended to get the
opinion of government agencies and senior citizens groups about the bills that will be up for floor
deliberation. Representatives from various government agencies, including DSWD and
Department of Finance, attended to present their views on the matter at hand. Two
representatives from the elderly sector were at hand to sit in the committee hearing (one from
COPAP and one from FSCAP or the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations in the
Philippines). A staff of COSE was on hand to lend assistance to their leader-representative.

According to Mrs. Basiano, this is her first time to be actually invited to a committee hearing face-
to-face with the committee chairperson and other government representatives. This, in spite of
the fact that she, together with her colleagues in COPAP, had been able to speak with senators
and congressmen in the past, and lobbied for the passage of other bills, in focus, the Magna Carta
for Older Persons.

Mrs. Basiano found the whole experience “amusing”.

Given 10 minutes to present her views on the subject matter, Mrs. Basiano made suggestions
where to get the money to finance the social pension. She mentioned the following:

 From the Countryside Development Fund (CDF), more notoriously knows as Pork Barrel;
 From a portion of debt service.

The committee chairperson asked how much she thought the congressmen are receiving as CDF.
Mrs. Basiano said between P60 and P70 million. Congressman Uy said it would be good if such

14
is the case, but thought that the members of the House would certainly react. The DOF
representative believed that the government would be hard-pressed to find allocation for this
pension plan.

Asked if she felt intimidated during the committee hearing, Mrs. Basiano replied in the negative.
She thought the chairperson was respectful of her. She regarded the experience as a
breakthrough (given that it was her first time to actually sit and be heard in a committee hearing,
not just being a passive observer.)

According to Genoveva Macaiba, advocacy officer of COSE, the “real” participation of older
persons would be taking place during the harmonization stage of the legislative process, that is,
when the salient aspects of different bills are put together to constitute a coherent whole.

7.2.3 Party-List Representation

Article VI, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution provides that 20% of the seats in Congress be
reserved for party list representatives who shall come from various sector in Philippine society.
Meanwhile, RA 7941, otherwise known as the Party List Law, stipulated that each party list
organization will be allocated one seat if it is able to get 2% of the total party list votes cast, and
additional seats, but not to exceed three, in proportion to the organization’s total number of votes.
The Party List Law therefore provides a small window of opportunity for so-called marginalized
groups in the country to participate in mainstream Philippine legislative politics.

The elderly had fielded a party list for the last three Party List elections. The table below lists the
names of the parties that bannered the Senior Citizen Sector as well as the total votes garnered
and the percentage of votes when compared to the total number of votes for party list, as per
Commission on Elections (Comelec) records.

Table 2. Comparative Names, Votes Garnered and Percentage of Votes Garnered from a Total of Party List
Votes: 2001, 2004 and 2007 Elections
2001 Elections 2004 Elections 2007 Elections
Name of Total votes % of total Name of Total votes % of total Name of Party Total % of total
Party garnered votes cast Party garnered votes cast votes votes cast
for party for party garnered for party
list list list
Senior 101, 196 1.73 Senior 236,571 1.8595 Coalition of 212,397 1.35
Citizens/ Citizens/ Associations of
Elderly Elderly Senior Citizens
in the Phils.
Source: Commission on Elections

Assuming 75% of the total number of elderly in 2000 voted in these three eelctions, the number
should total more or less 3.45 million. The highest number garnered by a senior citizens party
that ran in the elections was just roughly seven percent of the aboementioned targeted number.
This is assuming that all of those who voted for the party list are all older persons. The truth of
the matter is that the so-called Senior Power in the Philippines has yet to be unleashed, or at the
least tapped. The closest the sector elected a representative to the House is in 2004 (1.86%).

Interestingly, in 2001, a party consisting of mostly senior citizens – the Veterans Federation of the
Philippines – was able to win three seats at the House; however, they were not allowed to take
their oath of office because they used the name of a publicly listed organization. In 2004, it ran
again under the acronym VFP but instead chose to use the name Veterans Freedom Party, which
incidentally was the original name of VFP’s sectoral party when it first registered at the Comelec.

15
It won one seat by amassing 340,759 votes or 2.6% of the total party list votes cast. Had this
organization run with the other senior citizens party, older persons would have been able to be
represented in Congress, taking into account the fact that VFP is also a party of the elderly, and
thus, somehow, shares the perspective of senior citizens in the Philippines in general – toward
better living conditions and security during old age.

Last year, COPAP’s leadership came to know about the existence of the party that will run under
the party list system by getting hold of a pamphlet which was distributed in one of the campaign
sorties of this party. COPAP became interested with them because for one, they were using the
name senior citizens and two, they appeared to have a mass base because of the world coalition.
COSE invited them to their office so COPAP leader could speak with them. However, nothing
materialized after the meeting because according to Mrs. Basiano, “it seemed to use they were
just running for themselves.” “Apparently, this organization which carried the senior citizens in
their name had no platform or program for the elderly themselves,” she added.

Asked what could be the reason why the group failed to elect a representative to the Congress,
Mrs. Basiano said, “they have no mass base.” “If this is the case, it would be impossible for them
to reach out to the elderly,” added Mrs. Basiano.

Asked if COPAP is mulling the possibility of forming a party to run for party list, Mr. Benalla recalled
that during their General Assembly conducted in March 2007, prior to the elections, some of the
leaders of COPAP already raised the issue about the party list system and what they should do
about it. Mr. Benalla said they should be looking at this possibility very soon, given that they now
see the value of pro-elderly legislation in the Philippines.

7.2.4 Voting During Elections

This is still by far the most direct form of participation that is wholly protected by the Philippine
Constitution. Whether it is a local or a national election, the elderly can cast their ballot in favor
of a favored politician. However, this is easier said than done, considering that the elderly sector
is often disenfranchised during elections. Time and again, senior citizens find themselves at a
disadvantage when they could not locate their names at once – many complained of headache
and shortness of breath or just plain boredom – such that some of them just chose to go home
as soon as they felt that they could no longer vote. Others find the task of going up to a precinct
located at the third or fourth floor of a specific elementary or high school taxing. Likewise, it is a
problem if the older person goes to a precinct to vote just by himself or herself, and especially if
the said older person does not know how to read and write.

In other words, the voting system, already problematic as it is, does not serve the requirements
of the elderly so they could vote conveniently and effectively. Thus, it is not uncommon for many
among them to just stay at home and listen to the radio for news developments about who is
leading among the candidates.

8.0 Discussion and Analysis of Findings: factors that Affect Political Participation
of the Elderly in the Philippines

8.1. SCA’s not functioning enough to expand participation of older persons in

organizations, more so, in politics and legislation

16
 a) There are various senior citizens associations in the Philippines. If they are “legal”
organizations of the elderly, they should be federated under the FSCAP as mandated by
law. Interestingly, the SCA’s fall under the jurisdiction of the OSCAs under the supervision
of the Office of the Mayor. To date, there is a dearth of scholarly literature detailing the
impact of SCA’s in terms of facilitating the participation of senior citizens in organizational
and political affairs (of the SCA’s themselves and the government in general.) What is
known so far with regard to the SCA’s is that they collect their senior citizen IDs from the
OSCAs as these offices are the ones processing and releasing these cards.
b) Corollary to this is the non-existence of Senior Citizens Centers as provided in RA 7876.
There might be some projects for the elderly – or there are already the municipalities that
have these centers – but they remain unheard of. LGUs should seriously consider the
setting-up of these centers, not only for the purpose of providing the elderly with something
to do, but should open up avenues for them to be able to do something worthwhile for
themselves and their communities. The elderly should be encouraged to join
organizations and be trained in leadership skills and other productive ventures.

8.2 Need for senior citizens groups to regroup and seriously think about winning seats
through the party list system

a) Interestingly, one of the major avenues that the elderly can actually engage in is the Party
List System, considering that a few well-meaning groups of older men had tried to win at
least one slot for the past three elections, without the benefit of winning even one. The
problem with FSCAP and its regional and local chapters is that the “legal” SCA’s do not
constitute a significant whole and that local politicians traditionally co-opt the “services” of
these elderly during elections. This is one of the probable reasons why certain mayors
make sure that the elderly are “addressed” during their birthdays or if and when certain
constituents reach the senior age of 60.
b) If organizations of older persons, including the FSCAP and COPAP, are intent on winning
at least one slot at the House of Representatives, they better sit down and discuss among
themselves possible bases of unity – translated into a simple platform that can be
understood by older persons and those who take care of them. It would seem to the
researcher, based on his interviews with the COPAP leadership, that FSCAP and COPAP
are not yet on fully “speaking” terms. But they need to do something about this Party List
System because as it is, it is a viable alternative for them to consider for pro-elderly
legislation could be more effectively effected.

8.3 Need to maintain credibility in the public eye

a) However, a concomitant issue with regard to this is the effectiveness of the leadership of
the senior citizens – apart from those who run for elective positions (LGU level and
Congress or Senate level). These senior citizens groups need to articulate to the public
that they could actually lead their sector; otherwise, Filipino public would just see these
people as “needing their tender, loving care” or to this effect.
b) Which brings the researcher to the next point: the role of education (formal and non-formal)
in developing their skills and attitudes.
c) The Census 2000 revealed a glaring fact that exists among the elderly of past two or three
generations: more than half among them were not able to finish any level of schooling,
thus making them illiterate. If older persons’ organizations wish to engage in local and
national politics, hey should go back to school, literally and figuratively. Therefore, the
role of non-formal education and adult education cannot be overestimated here.

17
 d) It is also important for SCA’s to learn the rudiments of political engagement, so to speak.
Like what COSE had initially done, teaching the elderly about the importance of laws,
voting and especially the PLS, could be an important step in the right direction, if they are
to become lawmakers in the near future. The legislative process, tedious as it is, would
truly engage the patience and commitment of elderly representatives, be it at the local and
national arena, in passing legislations.

8.3 DSWD should be doing more for the elderly

a) The DSWD is a government agency that probably only occasionally does something about
the plight of the elderly, for example, during times of calamities (fire, floods, etc.). DSWD
has been mandated by law to initiate actions to ensure that senior citizens centers are
established in cities and municipalities – not only the physical OSCAs that have yet to
bring about the positive integration and involvement of senior citizens in community affairs.
b) Reading through the “national reports” of DSWD representatives to the UNESCAP
regional meetings re updates about plan implementation with regard to the MIPAA, the
Philippine Government must be doing a lot about the plight of the elderly in the country,
especially in the countryside. However, the fact remains that there are problems with
regard to the implementation of RA 9257 even as certain congressmen are already
thinking about amending the said law for its technical loopholes and apparent
ineffectiveness. On the other hand, it might be asking too much from this government
agency to be focusing its efforts on the plight of the elderly considering the problems it is
currently facing, apart from the fact that it has to deal with all the impoverished sectors in
the society. DSWD might be doing something but their actions are hardly felt at the
grassroots level.

8.4 Support of advocacy groups in passing of pro-elderly bills

a) What about the support of other NGOs to the elderly sector? Non-government institutions
mostly focus on children, women, peasants, the labor sector, and others, but not
necessarily the elderly sector. By far, only COSE remains to be the legitimate NGO that
is directly involved in organizing associations of senior citizens in the Philippines. If the
rights and welfare of older persons in the Philippines are to be secured and protected,
advocacy from a wider network of support groups will be required in aid of legislation.

9.0 Conclusions and Recommendations

Based on the initial interviews the researcher collected from a few sources – since there is not
much literature or formal studies conducted to analyze the extent of political participation of the
elderly in the Philippines even though they constitute a voting minority – there is no organized
political movement in the country as evidenced by the failure of this sector to uniformly elect a
representative to the Legislative Branch of the Government.

While this study did not elaborate much on the relationship between FSCAP and COSE/COPAP,
there is a growing evidence that the two groups are not yet on “in-depth speaking terms”. This is
rather unfortunate because FSCAP is the legally defined network of organizations of the elderly
in the country and since this is the case, they have access to government structures on the ground
and above.

18
As for their participation in the local level, the elderly are expected to vote during elections.
However, there is no significant statistics to say that they are actually voting in droves during
elections to elect their representatives. With the way voting is being conducted at the moment,
much is left to be desired in terms of the process being actively pro-elderly: current electoral
system does not serve the requirements of the senior citizens of this country.

Having said this, there are groups of “mass interests” that are trying to have the elderly take a
more proactive role in politics and legislation. COSE, through its assisted federation COPAP, is
mobilizing its leaders to get more involved in legislation. The attempt by COSE to train its leaders
in conducting a research to have a unified understanding of the “poorest of the poor” paved the
way for the need to have a bill on social pension for the elderly. The subsequent training
undergone by the elderly to understand a little bit more as to how Philippine legislation works
should be a step in the right direction.

There are also members of Congress and the Senate that are decidedly pro-elderly. This window
of opportunity should be explored and followed up by senior citizens groups lest it closes in the
immediate future.

Again, while the study did not delve on the factors that affect senior citizens participation in politics
and legislation in the country, there are a number of factors that affect this, not the least of which
include the level of education of the elderly themselves as well as the level of leadership of senior
leaders. Based on the initial and limited data collected by the researcher, it is safe to conclude
that at the moment, the exposure and actual participation of senior citizens groups in the
Philippines is limited, if not restricted by a number of factors which include:

 Lack of knowledge about the legislative process among the elderly sector
 Lack of knowledge about the bills being discussed on behalf of the elderly
 Lack of cohesion among the “legal” and NGO-assisted SCA’s in the country
 Need for the elderly groups to gain credibility with the public
 Support systems for legislation (government, NGO, academe, etc.) are lacking
 And probably, there is a lack of fundamental recognition and acceptance that the elderly
can still be productive and active citizens even in their twilight years.

The researcher will not detail the recommendations he intends to discuss since he believes that
this topic needs to be studied further for the general public to have an appreciation of what can
be called as the Filipino Senior Power. But at the moment, there is a need to expand the “network
of understanding” for the Filipinos in general to understand in the main two things:

1) That the issue about the elderly, especially that their population will continue growing in
the next five years or so, will not go away and will be here so to speak; and
2) That the elderly should not be regarded as a sector to “be taken care of” but more so a
sector that is needed by the society to move forward.

Filipinos have a saying that goes “Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi
makararating sa paroroonan.” This saying probably sums up the researcher’s argument in writing
this paper: “This society’s elderly are never a burden to the people because they are the synthesis
of what happened in the past and what is still happening now. They reflect the kind of society
that we have. And their contribution (to development) should not be underestimated. The
generation of today might now know it but sooner or later, they too shall be joining their ranks.
And it would be a pity if only then they would realize the value of this society’s senior citizens.”

19
 REFERENCES

A. Books and Journals

__________________ (undated). Brochure of the Coalition of Services for the Elderly. Quezon City,
Philippines.
__________________ (2007). “Who are the poorest of the poor?” in O.P., Issue of September 2007,
Quezon City, Philippines.
Hooyman, Nancy R. and Kiyak, Asuman H. (2005). Social Gerontology: A Multidisciplinary
Perspective. Peason Books, Boston, USA.
Jamieson, Anne and Victor, Christina, eds (2002). Researching Ageing and Later Life: The Practice
of Social Gerontology. Open University Press, Buckingham, England.
Sanoff, Henry (2000). Community Participation Methods in Design and Planning. Wiley & Sons,
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Sharp, Robin (1995). “Organizing for Change: People Power and the Role of Institutions” In The
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B. Internet Resources

______________ (2005). “Senior Citizens Comprised Six Percent of the Population: A special release
based on the results of Census 2000.” National Statistics Office, Manila, Philippines.
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Llamas, Ronald M. (2001). “The 2001 Party List Elections: Winners, Losers, and Political/Legal
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Official Website of the House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines
(http://www.gov.ph/congress)
Soliman, Corazon J. (2002). Statement of the Philippines at the Second World Conference on Ageing.
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Sidorenko, Alexandre (2006). “Empowerment and Policy Action on Ageing” in Proceedings of
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Stiglitz, Joseph (2002). “Participation and Development: Perspectives from the Comprehensive
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