Do you think elderly people are valued in your society or culture?

We Filipinos valued our elderly in our society. The Filipinos are very fortunate to see the needs of our elderly as we grow up. We were taught to say po and opo which means yes in English, the kind of respect for the elders in the Filipino culture. We respect Filipino elders by kissing the hands of the elderly to show respect and while doing so will say mano po which means please give me your blessings. We give our seats for those older than us when we are riding in the bus or jeepney. We are expected to take care of our elderly, and many of us in our generation, still choose to do it rather than send them to live in nursing homes or homes for the aged. Other Filipinos prefer to have professional care for their elderly, perhaps due to an illness that requires special care. But it still remains a strong Filipino value to care for the elderly, in some cases even when they are not related to us.

            Our extended family role to care and support for the elderly with respect is still in our culture. We choose to live together with our grandparents in the same house. We choose to spend the remaining days of their lives with their children and grandchildren. Filipinos financially support the elders.

            We have a law that gives benefits and privileges’ to people who have reached the age of sixty, it is called the Philippine Senior Citizen’s Act. The seniors or the elders had twenty percent discount on essential goods and services including food, medicine and doctors’ professional fees, fares, accommodations, entertainment and leisure. The monthly pensions, as well as insurance and burial assistance are also included in the laws’ provisions.                          By: Fidelyn Perez

        

I think elderly people are valued in our society or culture, because respect for them has always been the mark of Asian societies like in the Philippines. We put a high premium on preserving the dignity of our older persons and put them in an exalted place in society. Significant concerns of the elderly have been offered serious consideration. Perhaps because of the prevailing view that the local population is generally a young one, the research community has yet to give close attention to elderly issues. One of the issues is the security in old age. Poverty is perceived as an obstacle to a secured old age. As such, the current pension system in the Philippines. Its objective is the provision of social security benefits for retired workers of the government, private offices, veterans, and very recently self-employed workers. Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) caters to government retirees, the Social Security System (SSS) renders services to private and self-employed retirees and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office And United States Veterans Administration cater to Filipino Veterans. The government offers welfare services such as home for the aged and Senior Citizens Centers to better address the plight of the Filipino elderly. However, the effectiveness of such welfare services can only be confirmed by the level of satisfaction of their intended beneficiaries. Another critical issue is the occurrence of abuse committed against the elderly in homes and in institution. To make matters worse, many cases of elderly abuse in the Philippines are either not properly reported or not reported at all to the authorities. Abuse of the elderly may be in the form of physical violence, psychological abuse, financial exploitation and neglect. In 1991, the General Assembly adopted the Principles for Older Persons. This document becomes a useful guide for it details the actions that should be taken by member states to safeguard the rights of the elderly. Highlights of these principles are independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment, and dignity. With the lack of clear cut definition of abuse, these principles are enough to guide us in determining whether elderly abuse is being done in institutions, in their own homes or in other places. A third issue is the health status of the elderly. As people age their bodies undergo changes which can make them less resistant to chronic, debilitating and disabling conditions. With the growing awareness for elderly concerns and needs, there is a greater demand for appropriate policies and legislative initiatives to promote the welfare of the elderly. As a response, several bills on the elderly in both houses of the Eleventh Congress of the Philippines were already passed and still have to go through the legislative mill. A fourth issue is the economic impact of ageing on overall welfare. Given their increasing number, the elderly pose a great economic challenge as their productivity declines. There is thus, a need for a strong commitment and a comprehensive policy that would respond to the various needs of the elderly. By: Norma Abagon

Those who do not know much about the Indian culture and tradition get very baffled when they see children in India touching the feet of their elders. This is, infect, the commonest Indian gesture and touching someone's feet means the person who is doing the act is showing his respect and subservience to the one whose feet he/she is touching. However, one important aspect related to this gesture is that the person's whose feet are being touched is always superior in age and position.

Respect means being kind and considering the words of elders even if you don’t completely agree with it.  Elderly people are a representation of your future and you would want to be respected when you are elder.  A human needs to respect another human irrespective of their age according to Hindu - Indian philosophy.  In India traditionally during festivals and spiritual occasions younger people lie down flat in front of elders to show respect and to get their blessings. Respect is part of our Indian heritage. The great epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata speak of valiant heroes and role models who were willing to forsake kingdoms, families or sometimes, even life, if it meant honouring or respecting of their parents. These heroic stories are told to elevate nobility in today's youth. By: Manisha Korat

Filipinos highly value the presence of the elder more than anything. Elderly people teach us respect, manners and appreciation of things. I was born in the Philippines and we definitely respect the elderly, no matter what the race is. We respect them in every possible way. People assist elders when crossing streets most especially if they have load on their hands bags or baskets. Vehicles slow down if anyone is crossing the street old and young alike. In public transports, elders get 20 percent discount on their fares and if they don't have money to pay, some drivers or inspectors would let them ride for free. Also, if elders get up a jeepney or a bus, people assist them so that they won't trip and people do offer the seat closest to the door of the vehicle so that it will be easier for the elder to sit once they are in. Children are taught from birth how to say “po” and “opo” to teach them as early as possible how to properly respect their elders. Conservative families expect children to practice the kissing of hands or placing their parents or elder family members’ hand to their foreheads with the words “mano po” as a sort of greeting.  By: Dyna May Meran

I strongly believe that elderly people are valued in our culture. As I base it on my experience, I’ve seen how my parents and my other relatives take care of my grandparents. Unlike in the other country, specifically here in Canada, the elderly people are not pushed to go to home cares because nobody will take care of them. In the Philippines, we make our own ways and time-management for us to be able to take care of our loved ones in need especially the elder ones. Part of our culture o showing respect and love for the elderly is taking care of them as they grow old. It is hard to understand and communicate with them but each family knows their responsibilities of caring the old ones while they are still alive. We Filipinos, deeply care about how they took care of us while we were still young and one of the ways to give them back what kind of sacrifice they gave to us is to show how important they are to our lives. By: Ruth Ann Villanueva