SEN. Bong Go has filed Senate Bill (SB) 1779, also known as the Nursing Home for Senior Citizens Act, underscoring his advocacy to strengthen health care and social protection for the country’s elderly population.
The measure, formally lodged in the Senate on Monday, seeks to establish nursing homes in every region of the Philippines to meet the special needs and growing health care demands of senior citizens, including medical attention, geriatric care and support services.
”Elderly individuals often suffer from chronic illnesses due to their advanced age. Their conditions often manifest in functional decline and cognitive impairments, which require long-term care, rehabilitation and palliative services,” Go said, stressing the urgent need for institutionalized elderly care.
As vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, Go situated the proposal within the country’s existing legal framework, noting that it complements laws already enacted to protect senior citizens. Among these is Republic Act (RA) 11350, or the National Commission of Senior Citizens Act, which created a dedicated government agency to safeguard the welfare of older persons. Go also co-authored RA 11916, which increased the social pension of indigent senior citizens, amending the landmark RA 7432, the first Senior Citizens Act.
Go is also the co-author and co-sponsor of SB 1509, or the Philippine Geriatric Center Act, which mandates the establishment of a tertiary specialty hospital for older persons under the Department of Health.
