The Commission on Population and Development (CPD) Central Luzon said there is a need to address the challenges caused by the aging population in the region, which is projected to grow significantly by 2030.
CPD Regional Director Lourdes Nacionales highlighted the need for comprehensive policies and programs to ensure the well-being of older Filipinos while mitigating the economic and social impact of the demographic shift.
Data from CPD showed that currently, the number of older persons aged 60 and above in the region is at 693,148 or 5.56 percent of the region’s population.
Nacionales said that the region’s average is higher than the national average of 5.48 percent or almost 6 million elderly, and this is expected to further increase to seven percent by 2030.
With this, she stressed the need to prepare now, as this aging phenomenon raises concerns about healthcare capacity, pension sustainability, and workforce dynamics.
“Although senior citizens receive pension from the government, it is small and sometimes not enough for their medications. We also don’t see anything like a Department of Geriatric with medical professionals that really specializes in the diseases of the elderly. I hope that with our laws, we would have such specializations in terms of healthcare. We should also strengthen their social protection,” the director said.
The agency also cited the need to boost employment rate in the region and ensure that the labor force participation will be 100 percent.
“We can ask the Department of Labor and Employment and the Public Employment Service Offices in the local government units to ensure the provision of work for the public in their productive years. If this will be implemented, senior citizens will have a regular pension when they retire and grow old, instead of asking help and being fully dependent on the government for aid. This will somehow unburden the government,” Nacionales said.
She also expressed hope that the government can have internship programs for the elderly so they can still work to sustain their everyday expenses, instead of providing them complete dole-out.
In addition, Nacionales also emphasized social inclusion programs which the government agencies can do as part of the holistic approach to deal with the aging phenomenon.
“Different agencies can conduct activities such as Zumba and supplemental feeding. At CPD, we reach out to senior citizens for our outreach activities. By showing appreciation for the contribution of the elderly, this can be one way to prevent them from feeling isolation, neglect, and discrimination. This can in turn lead to improved quality of life among the elderly,” she said. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)