The United Senior Citizens Party-list is calling for more protection for the elderly against abuse.
“Reports of elderly abuse continue to come up. Only this month we have had at least two cases of horrendous crimes committed against the elderly. We appeal to the government to exert greater effort to protect our sector,” United Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay said.
Aquino-Magsaysay recalled that a grandmother in Cebu died recently after she was reportedly set on fire by her son-in-law. Meanwhile, an 84-year-old bedridden woman was also allegedly raped in Pampanga this month.
The lawmaker called for the passage of a bill that would protect senior citizens against abuse and establish mechanisms for their welfare.
“The Anti-Senior Citizens Abuse Act or House Bill No. 6301 seeks to bring to the forefront what has been an under-reported, under-acknowldeged and poorly-addressed issue, which is the abuse committed against the elderly, sadly often by their own family,” Aquino-Magsaysay said.
According to the solon, the measure aims to protect the elderly from different types of abuse, and penalizing those who commit them.
“It is high time we put an end to elderly abuse in the country.”
The bill also provides mechanisms of support to victims of elderly abuse, such as legal assistance, temporary shelter, counseling, healing, and recovery services, and medical assistance.
“Sa panukalang batas na ito, magtatatag din ng special prosecution units ang Department of Justice para sa mga biktima. Magkakaroon din ng Senior Citizen Help Desk/Protective Committee for Senior Citizens sa bawat barangay para masigurong mare-respondehan agad ang mga insidento ng pangaabuso sa mga komunidad,” Aquino-Magsaysay said.
The lawmaker also said that it is “high time we put an end to elderly abuse in the country.”
“But we will only do so if we are sincere in our efforts to provide safe haven to our victims. More importantly, we must be united in emphasizing the family’s role in ensuring the welfare of all its members, from child to elderly. That’s why we believe that one of the most important provisions of this bill is the section on Affirmative Acts and the emphasis on also providing counseling and treatment to offenders,” she said.
Under the bill’s Affirmative Acts section, the government is mandated to, among others, establish clear advocacy/information programs and increase public awareness to minimize risks of neglect, abuse and violence to older persons; include training on the prevention, detection and management of social problems of senior citizens among healthcare professionals and law enforcement officers, specifically on the handling of elder abuse cases; and ncourage the development and utilization of supportive community resources that provide in-home services, respite care, and stress reduction with high-risk families.
In addition, a review of school curricula and teaching modules through the DepEd and CHED to highlight with renewed focus the importance of family values, filial piety, and respect for the elderly is also called for, along with continued development of programs and services for senior citizens that are gender-responsive, rights-based, and culture-sensitive.
