Quezon seniors back free health insurance coverage

LUCENA CITY—Senior citizens here have expressed support for a proposed law that would give free and full Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) coverage for the elderly.

Salome Dato, head of the local government’s Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), said the proposed legislation would be a big help to all senior citizens. At present, PhilHealth provides free coverage only to indigent senior citizens.

Pastor Benny Abante, a former congressman who is pushing for the proposed law, said the government could also help senior citizens by giving them livelihood projects that would “empower them.”

In a statement, Abante said that under the proposed 2015 national budget, at least P20.8 billion had been appropriated for the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP), which would allow local government participation in identifying projects for funding.

Abante said the national government could tap these funds for “entrepreneurial programs that would benefit the elderly.”

Gloria Melendrez, 65, an ambulant market vendor, appealed to the government to set aside funds from the proposed P2.6-trillion budget next year for livelihood projects for senior citizens.

“Not all senior citizens are lying in bed waiting for their time. Most of us are still capable of earning a living,” she said.

Melendrez said even a small amount would mean a lot to the elderly.

Dato shared Melendrez’ appeal for livelihood projects for the elderly. Aside from the chance to earn money, livelihood support for the elderly would give them “joy and fun as they while away their time,” she said.

Lucena has more than 15,000 senior citizens, according to the OSCA records.

“This is all about empowerment—a paradigm shift, if you will—that will turn our senior citizens from being mere recipients of government dole-outs to the productive citizens they once were,” said Abante, principal author of the Senior Citizens Expanded Act of 2010.

According to Abante, much of the GPBP for the 2015 national expenditure program “lists lump-sum allocations.”

“These are huge amounts, the use of which have yet to be identified,” he said. “Why not use them to fund projects that the elderly can engage in even at their age? Why not high-value crop nurseries or plantations that can be managed by senior citizens’ cooperatives and organizations?” he added.

“By 2050, our elderly shall number close to 25 million. Empowering them today means achieving our target of all-inclusive growth tomorrow,” said Abante.

International organizations, such as the United Nations Population Fund, list the elderly as the third most-neglected sector in the Philippines next to fishermen and farmers.

Congress recently approved on second reading House Bill No. 4593, a consolidation of all bills on mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all senior citizens.

Dato, a former city councilor, said she would ask the city council to adopt a resolution expressing support for HB 4593.