ELDER ABUSE (PHILIPPINES)

REPUBLIC OF the PHILIPPINES – Department of Social Welfare and Development
PROPOSED BILLS:

AN ACT DEFINING AND PENALIZING THE CRIME OF CRIMINAL NEGLECT OF A VULNERABLE ELDERLY PERSON OR A PERSON WITH DISABILITY
Our country is known for caring for our elders and our family members who have
disabilities. However, there are still reported cases of neglect and abandonment of
vulnerable elderly persons and persons with disabilities. Admittedly, the government has
very limited resources to provide for each and every vulnerable elderly person and person
with disability. It still must rely primarily on these persons' family members.
Therefore, in order to protect this vulnerable sector of our society, this hill aims to penalize neglect of vulnerable elderly persons and persons with disabilities.


GERIATRICS PHILIPPINES


Protection from Violence
REFERENCES and LINKS:
Copy of House Bill 1071 Philippine Congress 2010
Copy of Senate Bill 1809
and
HelpAge International
During a recent forum on Policy for Older Persons held at the UP Manila-National Institutes of Health, Rep. David Koh, Senior Citizen’s Party List announced the good news that House Bill 1071 was approved at the Committee level. It now seeks approval from the Senate, as Senate Bill Number 1809.
The original bill, seeks to ensure that older persons and persons with disability are protected from institutional, community and domestic violence and sexual assault and to improve outreach efforts and other services available to persons victimized by such violence.
The original bill, “Older Filipino’s Protection from Violence Act” was authored by Rufus B. Rodriguez and Maximo B. Rodriguez Jr.
Senate Bill 1809 was authored by Senator Miriam D Santiago with Sen Lito Lapid as co-author. The bill is described as AN ACT TO ESTABLISH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES TO AID VICTIMS OF ELDER ABUSE, AND PROVIDE TRAINING TO HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONALS IN THE ASSISTANCE OF SUCH VICTIMS, It was read on first reading in September 2010 and was referred to the Committee(s) on SOCIAL JUSTICE, WELFARE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT and FINANCE.
In a similar action, HelpAge International calls for the following Actions:
• the 186 countries that have ratified CEDAW (UN Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) meet their existing obligations to put in place systems, legal and other, to protect all women, young and old, from violence and abuse.
• data collection and disaggregation is improved to make the issue more visible.
• governments invest in training of health professionals, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies to recognise abuse
• more funding is allocated to community initiatives that change attitudes and tackle age discrimination and ageism.
Finally, a UN Convention of the Rights of Older People would ensure that all countries that ratify it had an obligation to put in place these protective legal systems.

 SOURCE:      Republic of the Philippines,Dept of Social Welfare and Development
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