CARMONA CITY, Carmona – The city government, together with the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) and Raising Awareness on Influenza to Support Elderlies (RAISE) Coalition, organized a community vaccination event for senior citizens on Monday, Sept. 11, in celebration of Grandparents' Day.

Community vaccination event for senior citizens at Carmona Community Center (Carla Bauto Deña/MANILA BULLETIN)

Present during the event were Department of Health (DOH) Spokesperson Usec. Enrique A. Tayag, Cavite 5th District Rep. Roy M. Loyola, Carmona City Mayor Dahlia A. Loyola, PFV Executive Director and RAISE Co-Convenor Dr. Lulu Bravo, Dr. Maria Beatrix Gueco Duzon of DOH Center for Health Development 4A, and Ding Latoja of Senior Citizens Partylist.

Photo from RAISE Coalition (MANILA BULLETIN)

A total of 433 seniors were given free influenza vaccines and Covid-19 booster shots.

According to data from RAISE Coalition, senior citizens are among the most vulnerable to influenza, with 70% of flu-related hospitalizations and 85% flu-related deaths reported annually.

During the event’s panel discussion, Tayag mentioned that only one in 10 senior citizens get vaccinated against flu.

Mayor Loyola, a doctor by profession, said people’s notion about flu and flu vaccines remains one of the biggest challenges in encouraging the elderly to get vaccinated.

Community vaccination event for senior citizens at Carmona Community Center (Carla Bauto Deña/MANILA BULLETIN)

“'Yung belief nila na if I get the flu vaccine, magkaka-trangkaso rin naman ako, ‘yung side effect nito. At kahit naman ako ay may flu vaccine, ako rin naman ay nagkakasakit. Ang importante talaga, societal approach, magtulong-tulong (The belief that if I get the flu vaccine, I’ll get the flu anyway, the side effect. And even if I get a flu vaccine, I get sick anyway. The important thing here is a societal approach, to help one another),” Loyola said.

The increase in the aging population in the Philippines

Population Commission (POPCOM) data in 2022 projects about 14% of the Philippine population to be composed of senior citizens by 2035.

“Dapat naghahanda tayo na 'yung ageing population, hindi palaging nasa ospital. May kalidad ang buhay (We should prepare so that the ageing population would not always be at the hospital. They have a good quality of life),” Bravo said.

“Ang mga pamilya, sumusuporta rin. Maganda na 'yung matatanda, may kahulugan pa ang buhay nila (The family always supports them. It is best if the elderly feels that their life still has meaning).”

Tayag, on the other hand, saids the issue of supporting the aging population can be a complex matter, and vaccinations are only one part of a broader spectrum of assistance for senior citizens' health.

“Marami pa po na dapat nating tingnan. May impact po 'yan. Kaya ang Kagawaran ng Kalusugan ay naghahanda na. Sapagkat 'pag tumalon na 'yan sa 10 hanggang 15 million, sa 10% na lang nun na kailangang alagaan, malaki pong pondo (We need to look at a lot of things. It has an impact. That is why the DOH is already preparing. When it reaches 10 to 15 million, even if only 10% of that needs care, we will need significant funds),” Tayag said.

“Ngayon nga, wala pa tayong official geriatric center. Binubuo pa ng Kagawaran ng Kalusugan ang batas para diyan (For now, we are yet to have an official geriatric center. DOH is still crafting a law for that).”

Loyola shared that the local government unit (LGU) has various health-related programs that are part of its preparations for the expected increase in the aging population.

Photo from Dr. Dahlia A. Loyola's Facebook page (MANILA BULLETIN)

“Ini-inculcate namin 'yung healthy living, meron kaming mga club ng diabetic, hypertensive, pati nga 'yung mga may asthma. Tinuturuan namin (We inculcate healthy living in our seniors, we have clubs for diabetics, hypertensive patients, even those with asthma. We educate them),” the mayor said.

Loyola also mentioned that they have observed a heightened emphasis on the health and well-being of senior citizens ever since the LGU began offering cash incentives to nonagenarians.