September 10 is celebrated as National Grandparents Day in the United States, but not in the Philippines, Senior Citizen Party-list Representative Rodolfo Ordanes said.
However, the Philippines celebrates Elderly Filipino Week from October 1 to 7, which was established by Proclamation 370, signed in 1994 by then President Fidel V. Ramos, he added.
“Nais ko lang sana klaruhin na hindi po National Grandparents Day ang September 10 dito sa Pilipinas. Sa Amerika po ang selebrasyon na iyan sa bisa ng isang proklamasyon na nilagdaan ni US President Jimmy Carter noong August 3, 1978,” Ordanes explained.
The veteran legislator also pointed out that the recently signed Regional Specialty Centers Act is a law for the benefit of senior citizens and residents of areas outside of Metro Manila.
“Time will come when seniors will be just two or a few hours away from their specialist doctors and specialized facilities.”
“Time will come when seniors will be just two or a few hours away from their specialist doctors and specialized facilities. RA 11959 was recently signed into law. This means we in Congress will have to find ways to fund the implementation of this law in 2024 and every year thereafter,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
“Mga senior citizens ang pinaka-nahihirapan para lang bumiyahe patungong Metro Manila sa mga national specialty hospitals tulad ng Lung Center, Philippine Heart Center, Philippine General Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, at Philippine Orthopedic Hospital,” he added.
“Bukod sa Elderly Filipino Week, ang ating bansa ay mayroon pang Grandparents Week observance mula March 11 to 18 sa bisa ng Proclamation 757.”
OTHER SIGNIFICANT DATES FOR ELDERLY
“Bukod sa Elderly Filipino Week, ang ating bansa ay mayroon pang Grandparents Week observance mula March 11 to 18 sa bisa ng Proclamation 757 na nilagdaan ni President Fidel V. Ramos noong March 6, 1996,” Ordanes added.
He also noted the Catholic Church World Sunday for Grandparents and the Elderly every fourth week of July. This observance started in 2021 by the declaration of Pope Francis.
According to Ordanes, the significant dates for Filipino seniors and elderly are:
(1) April 23, 1992 which is when Republic Act 7432 was approved;
(2) February 10, 2010, when the Expanded Senior Citizens Act was approved;
(3) June 23, 2016, when Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarians Act of 2016 was approved; and
(4) July 30, 2022, when Republic Act 11916 lapsed into law and legislated the increase of the indigent senior citizens monthly social pension to P1,000 from P500
Add to those days April 9 of every year Bataan Day as a holiday for war veterans.
