“Coalition of Services of the Elderly”

A Critique Paper

In the Philippines, the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) is a

Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that has been serving the elderly since 1989. They
put a lot of focus on advocacy, forming and sustaining partnerships, and older persons'
organizations (OPOs). They promote community-based initiatives for senior citizens,
including health care, residential care, diversified and age-appropriate employment
opportunities, and inclusive disaster risk reduction and management. They work to address
the problems and concerns of elderly people in humanitarian issues and concerns,
sometimes in collaboration with other humanitarian organizations. As a social welfare and
development agency with a license and registration, COSE is also a part of numerous
national and international networks for development and humanitarian purposes.
In an age-friendly society, according to COSE, everyone over the age of 50 can live
with dignity, be safe, independent, and healthy, and feel free to dedicate their time to
helping others and society as a whole. Their mission is to assist older people—especially
those who are poor and marginalized—in defending their rights while valuing cultural
diversity, advancing gender parity, developing their potential, acknowledging their
importance as a population, and guaranteeing their involvement in decisions that impact
their lives. Through networking and partnership building with various stakeholders at the
local, national, regional, and international levels, their program seeks to advance the
well-being of older people; strengthen older people's organizations through capacity
development; and cultivate a national movement of older people who will take the lead in
promoting gender equality and intergenerational solidarity.
The advocacy of the Coalition of Services of the Elderly includes protection and
inclusion. Despite being among the most vulnerable and at-risk populations, older people are
frequently ignored and underrepresented in areas such as policy-making, emergency
situations, and rights and benefits. In order to protect and include older people in the
following areas—economic inclusion, for example—the organization, in collaboration with
partners, employs a variety of strategies. The absence of a universal pension plan, inclusion
of older people in existing livelihood programs, and employment compromise their ability to
support themselves or their families. The physical decline that comes with aging restricts
older people's access to livelihoods and income opportunities in the buffer zone. Those who
are in need of appropriate livelihood assistance intended to support financial stability should
be prioritized, including older people living alone, widows, older heads of households, and
those living with older people. In order to enhance older people's living conditions and
guarantee a basic income as they age, they support the inclusion and advancement of older
people in age-friendly livelihood and employment opportunities. Campaigns and Policy
Advocacy were also one of their advocacies. They work together with Confederation of Older
Persons Associations of the Philippines (COPAP) in drafting and advocating policies that have
far-more reaching and long term impact on the lives of not just of the country’s ageing
population but on all age levels. COSE and COPAP hold the following priorities in the Older
Persons Policy and Legislative Agenda (OPPLA) such as Social Pension for Older Persons,
Freedom from Violence and Abuse in Older Age, National Long Term Care Program
Framework, Comprehensive Anti-discrimination Bill, National Commission on Older Persons
Welfare, and Promoting Age-friendly Communities.