A DAY TO HONOR OUR LOLOS AND LOLAS

Senator Edgardo J. Angara pays tribute to our all of our country's Lolos and Lolas in this year's Grandparents' Day, celebrated every second Sunday of September.

This tradition of honoring our elders started in the United States in 1978, and quickly spread throughout the world. In the Philippines, special programs and promos along with free medical check-ups and entertainment are set out for families celebrating Grandparents' day.

"This is a great day for showing our love and appreciation for the strength and guidance that we learn from our elders. We should treasure the kind of wisdom and understanding that only grandparents can provide," said Angara, who is a stout advocate for senior citizens' rights and welfare.

Angara authored the Senior Citizens Act which provides the elderly with substantial discounts when buying medicine or using public transport, as well as the Expanded Senior Citizens Law which enables the elderly to fully enjoy their 20 percent discount by exempting them from E-VAT.

He praises our nation, where it is common for the lolo and the lola to live with--and be taken care of--by their children and grandchildren, as opposed to the Western practice of the grandparents living apart from their family. This creates a good environment that would help shape our youth into good citizens.

"We Filipinos should take pride in our culture of familial closeness, where the youth can continuously learn from and be guided by their grandparents as they grow into the adults that carry the future of our country," said Angara.