Our Time Tolentino wants DOH chief to name focal person for elderly concerns

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

Tolentino

SeNATOR Francis N.

prodded newly named Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa to designate a focal person within the Department of Health (DOH) to focus on handling the welfare of the country’s senior citizens.

Mayroon ba po talagang [incharge] para sa senior citizens? Ito ’yung tao na focal person natin para sa ating mga senior citizens?” Tolentino asked Herbosa during the senator’s weekly radio program.

Tolentino filed in February Senate

Bill 1799 to be known as “Comprehensive Senior Citizen Welfare Act” once enacted into law.

As provided in the Tolentino bill, the DOH in coordination with local government units, non-government organizations and people’s organiza- tions for senior citizens “shall institute a national health program and shall provide an integrated health service for the elderly.”

Tolentino said there should be a designated official-in-charge within the DOH hierarchy that will solely focus on the health and welfare of Filipinos aged 60 years old and above to “ensure their well-being, considering various morbidity/comorbidity that could occur in that life period.”

Secretary Herbosa, for his part, admitted there is “currently no one in charge when it comes to handling senior citizen concerns” based on the DOH’s organizational chart, but the former National Task Force adviser concurred to Tolentino’s suggestion there should be a focal person on the matter.

Hiningi ko ’yung organizational functional chart nila ngayon. Wala eh. Alam ko kasi mayroon iyan. In fact, ako ’yon eh [dati], ako ’yung in-charge undersecretary for seniors and mga persons with disability, kaya ako ’yung pinupuntahan ng mga organizations at tinututukan yan. Hindi ko ngayon mahanap yan eh,” said Herbosa.

According to Herbosa, one of his priority reforms to be implemented is the suggestion raised by Tolentino, considering that “senior citizens are the ones with higher morbidity.”

Ilalagay ko na yan at priority ko po yan kasi ako po ay isang senior citizen at kailangan nila ng tulong…sila yung mas maraming iniinom na gamot, sila yung mas kailangan madalas bantayan, sila yung nagkaka-stroke, nagkakaheart attack, at ’yon ’yung mga top diseases, causes of death natin, eh. So, I think it’s very important,” the cabinet official stressed.