Alarmed that three out of 10 Filipino elderly suffer from depression, Senior Citizen partylist Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes has appealed to President Duterte to include senior citizens up to 70-years-old in the list of persons who can go out.
The lawmaker sought the expansion of the coverage of the lifting of age-based stay-at-home restrictions and other benefits as provided by Resolution No. 79-2020 issued by Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
Under the IATF resolution, those aged 15 to 65 are allowed to go out.
“Mr. President, I respectfully recommend that the coverage of the lifting of age-based stay-at-home restrictions and other benefits provided by IATF Resolution No. 79-2020 be expanded to include senior citizens up to the age of 70-years-old, instead of the proposed age of up to 65-years-old,” Ordanes said in a letter to President Duterte dated Oct. 21.
“It is this representative’s humble opinion that expanding the coverage of IATF Resolution No. 79 to include senior citizens up to the age of 70-years-old will help alleviate the social and economic difficulties that our 2.5 million senior citizens face due to COVID-19,” he explained.
He expressed hope that his request be granted by Duterte by December.
Ordanes noted that studies show that there is minimal risk in expanding the coverage of the IATF resolution, given the global decline of case fatality rates among the elderly.
There is a minimal difference between the Infection Fatality Rates of those within the age of 65 and those within the age of 70, he said.
“If the coverage of the resolution is expanded, 2.5 million of our senior citizens will be lifted out of depression which three out of 10 of our elderly suffer from today, as they will be allowed to engage again in social activities and be taken out of social isolation,” Ordanes said.
He said by expanding the coverage of the IATF resolution, the government is economically empowering the elderly up to 70 years , as they are allowed to participate again in economic activities.
“Mr. President, an expansion of the coverage of the IATF Resolution No. 79-2020 will pose minute differences from the overall risk that our senior citizen population is facing due to COVID-19. Comparatively, once the coverage is expanded, 2.5 million of our senior citizens will enjoy economic and social upliftment in their lives and welfare,” he said.
“Thus, I respectfully ask for your consideration in increasing the exemptions to stay-at-home restrictions imposed on senior citizens up to the age of 70-years-old.”