GUIDELINES ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE SENIOR CITIZENS CENTER

The 1995 National Census placed the population of older persons 60
years old and above as 5.4% or 3.7 million of the total population of
68.6 million. This total comprises 1.9 million male elderly and 1.7
million female elderly. In 1996, the average life expectancy for
Filipinos is 67.3 with Filipino males having an average life expectancy
of 65.13 years while females have an average life expectancy of 70.30
(NSCB, 1996). With the increase in life expectancy, this sector is
estimated to rise to 15 million by year 2030.

In recognition of the emerging importance of Older Persons as a
social sector in nation-building and of the determined efforts of the
State, particularly in recent years, to provide them opportunities for
total development, the Congress enacted two significant laws namely:

1.         Republic Act 7432, an Act to Maximize the Contribution
of Senior Citizens to Nation-Building, Grant Benefits and Special
Privileges and for other Purposes. This law recognizes the duty of the
family to take care of its elderly members and of the state to design
programs of social security for them, to provide social justice in all
phases of national development and to adopt an integrated and
comprehensive approach to health development.

2.    Republic Act 7876, otherwise known as the Senior Citizens
Center Act which mandates the establishment of a Senior Citizens Center
(SCC) in all cities and municipalities of the Philippines, and
appropriate funds therefor. This law was enacted in line with the
declared policy of the State to provide adequate social services and
improved quality of life for all. It provides that the State shall adopt
an integrated approach towards health development giving priority to
older persons. In accordance with this policy, a Senior Citizens Center
in all cities and municipalities of the Philippine shall be established
whereby older persons can get together to meet their mutual needs. Rule
III, Article 6, of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 7876
states that the Local Government Units (LGUs), cities and
municipalities, shall be called upon to provide administrative support
and supervision to the Senior Citizens Center which shall be
administered, managed and operated by the Federation of Senior Citizens
Association of the Philippines (FSCAP) while the DSWD shall provide
technical assistance/supervision.

To operationalize the Senior Citizen’s Centers (SCC), the following
guidelines are being issued as reference of the DSWD Field Offices, the
Local Government Units, the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations
of the Philippines (FSCAP) and other stakeholders in the management of
these centers.

II.         Objectives of the Center

a)      Identify the needs, trainings, and opportunities of senior citizens in the cities and municipalities;

b)      Initiate, develop and implement productive activities and
work schemes for senior citizens in order to provide income or otherwise
supplement their earnings in the local community;

c)      Promote and maintain linkages with provincial government
units and other instrumentalities of government and the city and
municipal councils for the elderly and the Federation of Senior Citizens
Associations of the Philippines and other government organizations for
the delivery of health care services, facilities, professional advice
services, volunteer training and community self-help projects.

III.        Definition of Terms

The following terms shall be defined as follows:

1.           Senior citizen — shall refer to any person who is at least sixty (60) years of age.

2.           Center — refers to the place established in this Act
with recreational, educational, health and social programs and
facilities designed for the full enjoyment and benefit of the senior
citizens in the city or municipality. It can be any available sheltered
structure, a spacious room in a private or public building, a room
attached to a community center, a barangay hall or chapel.

3.           Department of Social Welfare and Development —
otherwise known as DSWD, shall mean the national office located at
Batasan Complex, Quezon City and it’s field offices in the fifteen (15)
regions of the country and DSWD-ARMM.

4.           Municipality/City Federation of Senior Citizens — an
organization of Senior Citizens in the locality which is affiliated with
the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations of the Philippines
(FSCAP) duly recognized by the Department of Social Welfare and
Development.

5.           Local Government Units (LGUs) — refer to the
territorial and political subdivisions of the state which include the
cities and municipalities.

IV.       Programs and Services

a)           Social and recreational services such as social
interaction with peers, counselling, active participation in sports,
recreation and socio-cultural activities and holding of special
celebration to recognize the contributions of the senior citizens.

b)           Health and personal care such as regular physical and
dental check-up, eye care, lectures on proper health and nutrition, and
how to grow old gracefully.

c)           Spiritual services such as bible studies, special
masses, retreats, and other kinds of religious services, preparation for
death and support services for the dying and their families.

d)           Self-employment assistance to supplement their earnings.

e)           Volunteer resource services such as
identification/recruitment, training and mobilization of Senior Citizens
for community volunteer works where they can share their time, talent,
resources and willingness to be involved in community development.

f)            Other services which the DSWD and other coordinating
agencies may deem necessary for the benefit of the senior citizens.

VI.       Staffing/Functions

There shall be a full time center manager with the following functions:

There shall be a part-time social worker who maybe or may not be from the city or municipal social welfare development office:

V.        Roles and Responsibilities

1.         DSWD — Central Office

1.1    Develop policies, standards, programs and services for the operations of the senior citizens center.

1.2    Conduct regular technical assistance to the field office
staff who are involved in the monitoring of the center’s operation.

1.3    Evaluate the operation of the SCC to ensure its efficiency and effectiveness.

1.4    Conduct documentation on the project implementation
including success stories and best practices which can be used for
advocacy.

1.5    Accredit Senior Citizens Center and Senior Citizen’s
Volunteers who shall assist in the operation of the center to ensure
adherence to the standards set by the DSWD.

2.         DSWD — Field Office

2.1    Validate target beneficiaries, requirements in the establishment of SCC.

2.2    Conduct training of implementors in coordination with the DSWD — Central Office.

2.3    Conduct regular technical assistance to the staff and
volunteers involved in the operations of the center and monitor the
operations of the center.

2.4    Participate in the evaluation of the center’s operations.

2.5    Ensure that the agreement with the LGUs as stipulated in
the MOA signed between Field Office and the Local Government Unit
concerned, is implemented.

2.6    Submit periodic report to Central Office on the implementation of the project.

3.         Local Government Unit

3.1    Identify target beneficiaries and undertake social
preparation activities for older persons’ active involvement in the
operation of the Senior Citizens Center.

3.2    Designate a Social Worker to be assigned in the SCC.

3.3    Assist the DSWD in the evaluation and documentation of the project.

3.4    Assist the FSCAP in the continuous operation and management of the Center

3.5    Assist and supervise the Senior Citizens in planning, managing and implementing their own programs.

3.6    Assist the DSWD in the evaluation and documentation of the project.

4.         FSCAP

4.1    Manage, operate, maintain the Senior Citizens Center and
facilitate the implementation of programs and services in consultation
with LGU and DSWD Field Office.

4.2    Conduct resource-generating activities for implementation of the programs/services at the SCC.

4.3    Participate in the formulation, development and
implementation of policies directly affecting the older persons and
their organizations.

4.4    Assist the DSWD in the evaluation and documentation of the project.

This Department Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 30 August 1999

(SGD.) BELINDA C. MANAHAN
Undersecretary for Management and Officer-in-Charge