Department of Health (DOH) – MIMAROPA (Oriental/Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) together with the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation today led a 500 strong senior citizen as they join the simultaneous nationwide “Walk for Life for the Elderly” in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro.
This year’s theme is “Pagmamahal at Respeto ng Nakababata, Nakapagpapaligaya sa mga Nakatatanda.”. The event is celebrated yearly every first Sunday of October in the observance of the “Linggo ng Katandaang Filipino” or Elderly Filipino Week. Under the law, all centenarians will be honored and be given P100,000 as Centenarian Gift.
“This event aims to encourage the practice of healthy lifestyle and wellness among the elderly and to provide awareness on the health benefits of our elderly population that they can avail under the Lifetime Member and Senior Citizen Programs of PhilHealth,” Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo stated.
“It is also our government’s means of expressing gratitude to our elderly for the services they provided in keeping our generation safe and healthy, he added.
The simultaneous event started at 6am where various senior citizens from different municipalities gathered and joined by representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs, Regional Federation of Senior Citizens and local government leaders.
Health services, medical consultations, random blood-sugar testing, cholesterol screening, blood-pressure measurement and pneumococcal vaccination will be available during the event.
PhilHealth desks will be placed in designated areas to answer queries and accept membership enrollment and data amendment for those with concerns.
There are currently 52,509 senior citizens in Oriental Mindoro; 24,715 residing in Occidental Mindoro; 22,618 in Marinduque; 24,120 in Romblon; and 39,058 in Palawan. A total of 176,283 elderlies as of May 2016. (Glen Ramos/PR/DOH)
