That's the Spirit
take care of their old and sick
Dr. Ramon Ricardo A. Roque,
CESoI, Diplomate
Taking care.
of the elderly
W ft I i il:
3,1:i ; li i"","f,if
that has"' characterized us as
people. This specif.ic Filipino
character is hig h liqhted by
the premium we qive to the
value of respect to parents and
g randparents.
The laws on the welfare of
senior citizens in our country
are consistent with the earlier
mentioned. Filipino character
Bills filed both in the House
of Representatives and the
Senate, particularly House Bill
No. 4980 of Muntinlupa Rep-
resentative Ruffy Biazon and
senate Bill No. 29 of senator
Panfilo Lacson, convey a very
valuable message-the ph il-
ippine society's high regard
for its elderly should not be
limited to the discounts they
enjoy for their purchases and
the standard basic government
services.
' in our sociery, not to mention
Both the Biazon and Lacson
bills propose to impose impris-
a onment and monetary fine to
those who commit acts against
the interest and welfare of the
elderly members of the philip-
pine society.
While Senator Lacson's pro-
posal specifically addresses the
case ofa bandonment of old and
sick parents by their children,
the bill of Representative Biazon
deals with the broader issues of
neglect, exploitatio,r, -and \ib-
lence against the elderly.
It is sad, particularly in our
society and given our culture,
that even tre mere filinq of
a legislative measure seeking
the government's intervention
on the care for the elderly has
become necessary,
One could and should exDect
that in a society that prides iiself
of close knit family ties, children
need not be compelled by law to
parents.
It is obvious that the increas-
ing number of abandoned, ne-
glected, and exploited elderly
those who became victims of
various acts of violence, made
the Lacson and Biazon propos-
als necessary.
The care of parents and
grandparents is no' essentially
a question of the ,nancial ca-
pacity of children. While it is
unconscionabl.- for financially
crpable children tc a ba ndon
t,reir parents and grai dparents,
he same kind of.aba oConment
,s "out of (Filipino) ciriracter,,
even for children who are eco-
nomically challenged.
' Even if the Lacson and the
Biazln bills are enacted into
laws, the care for the elderly
that is done to avoid being im-
prisoned and/or having to pay
monetary fine is un-Filipino.
But even if that is so, the legis-
lative proposals (and eventually
the law) are necessary because
our society should not leave the
interests and welfare of our
elderly to the mere hope that
all children in our countrv will
indeed act as true Filipinos.
tr43( 7