Senior citizens: The most neglected vulnerable sector in the society

Roberta Tismo, 71 years old, of Brgy Camansihay, Tacloban City lives in a makeshift almost two years after Yolanda.

The senior citizen is one of the most neglected sectors in the society. Under the Philippine laws, this sector has given priorities for the program intended for the welfare of all senior citizens especially those who are poorest of the poor.

Republic Act 9994 laid down the rules on how the senior citizens through an organized association will able to avail the .5% of the 1% budget from the IRA of their City, municipality or brgy. There were also laws that provide 20% discounts for their transportation, food when they eat at restaurants, medicines, hospitalization, groceries and others.

But most of these privileges were only availed of those who have the capacity of eating in big restaurants and other services that most of the poorest of the poor cannot be able to avail. I meet Roberta Tismo, 71 years old of Brgy Camansihay, Tacloban City.

She has three children and has their own families. One of her children was living in the other brgy. She lives alone in her makeshift made of light materials got from anywhere. The walls of her small house were from the tarpaulin given to her by one of INGOs who visited them last year. Her daughter wasn’t able to support her needs because she has her own family to feed. She is a farmer. Their income as a farmer wasn’t able also to support their daily necessities.

Tismo is weak and sickly. Recently, she suffered mild stroke. A local organization that looks after the welfare of the senior citizens identified her to be one of their beneficiaries for the Social Welfare Support. They gave 800 pesos per month to the beneficiaries who are poorest of the poor for six months.

She was very happy for the support they have extended. She bought 15 kilos of rice, sardines, coffee and sugar for her 800 pesos which she allocated it for one month. She divided the one sachet of coffee into three cups for it to last for three days. She barely eats three times a day to save her rice until the end of the month.

She suffered so much after typhoon Yolanda destroyed her small house. There were relief goods given for some time, but this was not enough. Even she is considered to be one of the poorest of the poor among senior citizens; she was not listed in the list for those who will be able to avail the 500 per month for their social pension.

It’s not only Roberta who has the same situation. There were older people who are already bedridden that has been living alone and no one was taken care of. Some of them are suffering different illness, but they were not attended by the government. Some of them died without experiencing the services of the government.