Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 26)— A commission for the elderly, run by the elderly, will soon be established under a newly signed law.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday signed into law Republic Act No. 11350, which creates the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC).
The NCSC, which will operate under the Office of the President, seeks to provide services and activities designed to benefit senior citizens.
These include organization of community-based health and rehabilitation, educational, and socio-economic programs for all seniors in the country.
It is also tasked with ensuring the effective implementation of such programs, particularly focusing on the “development of senior citizens and advancing their health and well-being, and ensuring a supportive an enabling environment for the elderly.”
The Commission shall be composed of a chairperson as well as six commissioners representing different regions. Members should all be 60 years old at the time of their appointment.
The Commission, under the new law, shall formulate policies for the promotion and protection of the rights and well-being of the elderly. Various information, educational, and communication campaigns shall also be organized to raise awareness for elderly’s rights.
The law also abolishes the National Coordinating Council and Monitoring Board, which currently supervises the implementation of the Republic Act No. 9527 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.
