Senator Juan Edgardo Angara is pushing for the passage of a bill that aims to end all forms of senior citizen abuses by providing stiffer penalties and strengthening institutional support for elderly victims of abuse.
“Respect for our elders has been one of the hallmarks of Filipino culture and society. Sadly, incidents of senior citizen abuse still persist and remain unaddressed,” Angara said.
Angara’s Senate Bill No. 1012 seeks to deter any form of abuse against senior citizens by clearly defining what constitutes abuse and providing stern penalties.
Under the proposed measure, senior citizen abuse refers to physical abuse; sexual abuse; psychological abuse; economic abuse such as withdrawal of financial support and controlling or misusing their own money or properties; and neglect or failure to feed, provide shelter, health care and protection to the elderly.
Physical, sexual and psychological abuses will be penalized with six to 12 years imprisonment, while economic abuse carries a punishment of six months to six years imprisonment and neglect with one to six months imprisonment.
“It is our duty to provide proper care and adequate protection for our over seven million senior citizens,” he said.
Angara is one of the authors of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act and the Universal Social Pension bill.
According to the Coalition of Services of the Elderly, many abuses against senior citizens occur at home, with family members as the main perpetrators.
SB No. 1012 mandates the establishment of a senior citizen’s help desk to provide immediate assistance to victims of abuse.