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MANILA, Philippines?Hundreds of senior citizens and their supporters gathered at Mendiola Monday morning, this time not to protest but to celebrate the enactment of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act (Esca) or Republic Act 9994.
With an ecumenical prayer service of thanksgiving, the elderly also sang ?Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok ko (Even if my Hair Grows White).
Salvacion Basiano, leader of the Confederation of Older Persons Association of the Philippines (Copap), said her fellow senior citizens also considered the Quezon City Circle for the celebration, but deemed it ?more important to return to Mendiola to celebrate.?
?We came here twice to urge for the passage and signing of the bill. This was the place to come back to and to thank God and celebrate,? she added.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the bill on February 15, the same day some 2,000 senior citizens marched and rallied to the Mendiola Bridge to press for the immediate signing of the measure.
Fransiskus Kupang, executive director of the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (Cose), Copap partner organization, said the celebration is important for the older people.
?The prospect of 1.2 million of poorest of the poor among older people receiving a pension of P500 a month is the most significant aspect of the bill. After all, you need some money in order to get a discount,? Kupang said, referring to the elderly?s exemption from 12-percent value-added tax so that they could avail of the full 20-percent discount on food, medicine, and other goods and services.
Kupang said the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) will be the next hurdle that the elderly would overcome.
?We must continue to be vigilant in the crafting of the IRR to assure that the poorest of the poor will benefit. Those who were involved in the drafting of the measure must also be involved in the drafting of the IRR up until the implementation of the law,? he said.
Other members of the network Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (KAMP or Life of Dignity for All campaign) joined in celebrating the elderly?s victory.
?The senior citizens? victory in Esca is young people?s victory too. It is a victory in the campaign for social protection and part of a long struggle towards a life of dignity for all,? said KAMP, the network advocating for social protection in response to chronic poverty in the country.
