PHILIPPINES: Bill wants hospitals to set up special wards for senior citizens

. MANILA, Philippines / GMANews.TV / February 12, 2009 With the number of senior citizens expected to balloon to 11.1 million by 2025, a bill filed at the House of Representatives seeks to require hospitals to set up special wards for the elderly. The proposed "Senior Citizens Ward" is intended for the exclusive use of senior citizens who are in need of hospital confinement by reason of their health conditions. "It is only right that government not only extend certain privileges such as discounts and the use of utilities but also address their health care needs and hospital accommodation to express the sense of gratitude to our senior citizens for their contribution to the nation," author Rep. Teodoro Casiño said in a press statement posted on the House of Representatives website. For his part, Rep. Satur Ocampo said the bill would address the growing elderly population in the country. He cited figures from the National Statistics Office (NSO) that indicated the country has 4.6 million senior citizens. Ocampo said about 5.3 million people were added to the elderly population during the last census in 2005. The overall population has reached 85,026,913 during that year alone. "There is a great need to afford our senior citizens more and better benefits than what are presently provided under our present laws, particularly during the times when their health starts to fail," Ocampo said. He noted the Philippine population is growing at a faster rate than in many other countries, with the NSO expecting that senior citizens will increase to 10.5 percent of the total population, or about 11.1 million by 2025. "Government can and should afford our elderly with vital health care legislation as part of all-out efforts to protect, ensure the well-being and provide for the needs of the country's senior citizens," he added. Ocampo has also filed HB 5831, pushing for free health care in government hospitals to senior citizens. - GMANews.TV 2007 © GMA Network Inc