Create a more logical study of the potentially growing senior population in RP - Angara

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that it is high time to create a more logical study of the potentially growing senior population in the Philippines.

Speaking before the 9th Annual Convention of Phil. Society of Geriatric Medicine, Angara said that there is a need to have a second look at the increasing number of senior citizens in the country despite having a younger population that is considered a 'demographic blessing'.

"According to the latest census that I have seen, which is really outdated, in 2000 we have about 6 million of 60 years and above citizens. But that was year 2000, that's eight years ago. And the annual growth rate of aging is about 4.6-4.8 percent. That's not a slow rate. It can accelerate and suddenly we discover we have to support, no longer the young population but an aging population," said Angara, who authored Senior Citizen's Law of 1992 and the Expanded Senior Citizens' Act of 2003.

He added, "But we have the advantage of technology of modern science now. Modern science is so far-advanced in the study of the brain, in maybe studying loss of memory or even Alzheimer. Neuro-science has advanced so far and so fast. And stem cell may very well cure many of the incurable diseases now. So, that is the advantage we have."

Although medical breakthroughs are in place, Angara emphasized that there is a need to train people especially the specialists to be able to spot and identify particular illness as well as adopt new technologies here in our country.

"We have to bring the benefits of modern science, especially modern medicine to the aid and assistance of the elderly and our senior citizens and those who care for them," he said.

To institutionalize it, Angara said that the curriculum of medical universities has to be reviewed and that the government must be able to refine policy instruments like the PhilHealth to cover senior citizens aged 60 or 70 to be covered in an insurance policy.

Angara also said that local chief executives may create a registry of senior citizens within their locality for better policy making on how to extend benefits especially in regulating health outlets like pharmacies.

In the end, Angara also encourages the more researches to be conducted on topics zeroing in on geriatric medicine.

"If the society has the capability to do any of those researches, I will give you a grant to initiate it. If you have a proposal, I will give you a grant of P1M to begin these policies studies," he said.