Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau

2006 Shanghai International Symposium

on Caring for the Elderly
26-29 June 2006

The evolving role of NGOs in

meeting the challenges of ageing:

a Philippine perspective
Bienvenido R. Rola, Ph.D.
Adjunct Prof., Institute of Strategic Planning and Policy Studies
University of the Philippines - Los Baos
College, Laguna, Philippines
and
President, ASEAN NGO Coalition on Ageing
Vice President for International Affairs, Aging Pilipino Organization
(APO)
Vice President for International Affairs, Philippine Association of
Gerontology

Whose perspective?
Participants

Older persons
Advocates
Planners
Implementers

Spectators or observers

General public
Media
Academe
international community

Overview of Philippine perspective

Global framework
- Population ageing (migration)
- Trade liberalization

National circumstances
-

Population ageing (migration)

Socio-economic situation (poverty)
Environment & natural resources
Government & governance (Gov-NGO
cooperation)

The challenges:
Achieving socio-economic
development for all
Equitable sharing of benefits
Enhancing situation of older
persons while building a society
for all ages

Meeting the challenge:

The Philippine Plan of Action
for Senior Citizens (PPASC),
2005-2010

Evolution of the PPASC: Plans

Macao Plan of Action on Ageing in Asia and
the Pacific (1998)
Philippine Plan of Action for Older Persons,
1999-2004 (1999)
Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing
(2002)
Shanghai Implementation Strategy (2002)
Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens,
2005-2010

Evolution of the PPASC:

from Macao and Madrid to Shanghai
Shanghai Implementation Strategy was
designed to implement the
Madrid International Plan of Action on
Ageing and
the Macao Plan of Action on Ageing for
Asia and the Pacific

Evolution of PPASC:
from Shanghai to Manila
The Philippine Plan of Action for Senior
Citizens (PPASC), 2005-2010 has been
designed to:
implement national policies on ageing
support international and regional
mandates, on ageing (MIPAA, MAPAA
and SIS) and
support objectives of the Millennium
Development Goals.

The PPASC Priority action areas:

1. Senior citizens and development
2. Advancing health and well being into
old age
3. Ensuring enabling and supportive
environments
4. Implementation and follow-up

PPASC, 2005-2010
Priority action areas:
1. Senior citizens and development

Organize functional OSCAs

Develop/strengthen databank on SCs
Enable passage of new legislation on ageing
Expand pension coverage
Develop appropriate anti-poverty programme
Promote positive image of senior citizens and
ensure advocacy
Enhance support for family and caregivers

PPASC, 2005-2010
Priority action areas
2. Advancing health and wellbeing
into old age
Promote active ageing while enhancing the
quality of life of senior citizens
Establish geriatric wards
Institutionalize gerontology training curricula
and courses
Expand coverage/improve accessibility and
affordability of social and health care

PPASC, 2005-2010
Priority action areas
3. Ensuring enabling and supportive
environments
Strengthen the capabilities of the family as the
traditional source of support and care for senior
citizens
Develop/replicate new and existing innovative
community-based programmes for senior citizens
particularly the indigent
Enhance quality care standards
Improve the built and transportation environment

PPASC, 2005-2010
Priority action areas
4. Implementation and follow up
National level
Republic Act (RA) 9257 and Implementing Rules and
Regulations
National Inter-agency Coordinating and Monitoring Board
(NCMB)
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Lead
Agency to DOLE, DepEd, DOH, DOJ, DOTC, HUDCC, DILG and
Civil society partners (NGOs).
Regional and local levels
Regional inter-agency Committees for PPASC, 2005-2010
DSWD and partners (NGOs)
Local level Local government and Office of Senior Citizens
Affairs (OSCA) and partners (NGOs)

Evolving role of NGOs:

the changing framework
-

needs-based to rights-based approach

ignorance to awareness
passive to active mode
dependency to partnership
advocacy and self-help
developing social capital, family &
community resources and capabilities

Implementation of PPASC, 20052010: Role of NGOs

National level

The National Coordinating and Monitoring Board (NCMB) has five NGO
members led by the national Federation of Senior Citizens
Associations whose members include village level associations of
senior citizens

Regional and local level

NGOs are also well represented at the Regional Interagency

Committees for the Philippine Plan of Action for Senior Citizens
An Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA), headed by a senior citizen,
is established in each municipality. In collaboration with NGOs in the
community, it plans, implements and monitors yearly work
programmes in implementation of the PPASC.

Implementation of PPASC, 20052010: Note on role of NGOs

Important supportive and partnership roles
are played by NGOs operating outside the
sphere of the national, regional and local
level implementation mechanisms, e.g.,
religious, business, gender, youth,
environment, community and other interest
groups

Plan Implementation:
Findings of evaluation exercise of
Interagency Committee on
implementation of PPAOP, 1999-2004
Poor implementation performance

Obstacles:
low or no budget appropriations, e.g., DSWD
setting of unattainable goals (or no goals)
low participation rates of senior citizens
owing to poverty, ignorance or indifference
poor coordination

Plan implementation:
Findings from pilot community
workshops/seminars on local level
implementation of MIPAA and RA 9257
Poor implementation performance

Obstacles:
General lack of awareness of laws, rights
and entitlements
Low participation rates of senior citizens
owing largely to income/cost
constraints

Follow up at national level

Government/NGOs
Low or no budget appropriations
- Provide funding
- Create a Commission for Senior Citizens
Setting of unattainable goals (or no goals)
- Set attainable, budget-based goals
Low participation rates of senior citizens
owing to poverty, ignorance or indifference
- Raise awareness, empower, incentives
Poor coordination - Coordinate

Follow up at local level

Government/NGOs
General lack of awareness of laws, rights
and entitlements
- Further awareness-raising and
training
Low participation rates of senior citizens
owing largely to income/cost
constraints
- Provide financial support and/or
incentives, empower, promote
ownership

CONCLUSION:
Towards better plan implementation
1. The Government cannot do it (implement
MIPAA) alone but it should lead, coordinate,
and facilitate as well as provide financial
support to the PPASC implementation
programme. A Commission for older
Persons would be a vital element.
2. NGOs (all of them) have very important
roles to play at all levels. Partnerships with
them and among them should be developed
to promote advocacy and self-help
initiatives as well as to implement
programmes

CONCLUSION:
Towards better plan implementation
3. Both Government and NGOs should optimize use of
available resources including:
- older persons themselves who can provide a
multitude of services to their respective communities
- the Filipino family and its traditions of caring and
support
- the bayanihan or helping hand spirit from
members of the community
- members of other communities, in the Philippines
and abroad, who have ideas and success stories to
share
- unused or idle resources in a sustainable
development context.

Follow up of a new NGO in the block: Aging

Pilipino Organization (APO)
New members 36 to 59 year-olds
New advocacy goals
- advocating creation of a Commission for Senior
Citizens
- advocating social pension legislation
New self-help approaches
- establishing multi-purpose co-operatives
- developing family and community approach to
social pension
New public service approach
- providing services to the community, e.g., research
(listening to OPs), awareness raising, training
caregivers, legal and technical assistance,
emergency assistance, etc)

Follow up of a new NGO in the block:

Aging Pilipino Organization (APO)
New partners
- developing partnerships with other social groups in
the community
- developing partnerships with international groups
with common interest
New resource use optimization approach
- promoting optimized use of unused or idle
resources for active ageing, sustainable
environmental or developmental (income or
employment) purposes, e.g., flower or herbal
gardening in vacant urban land, fast-growing tree
farming cum-commercial crop production in barren
farm land, deforested or degraded forests or coastal
land, etc.

Salamat!

Thank you!