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RPAOP conducts assessment and planning workshop
by Robert E. Roperos

Butuan City (1 July 2005) -- To evaluate the accomplishments of its stakeholders for the first semester, and to plan the activities of the remaining semester of 2005, the Regional Plan of Action for Older Persons (RPAOP) spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Caraga Region, conducted an assessment and planning workshop here recently.

Angelita Amista, DSWD Technical Assistance Division Chief emphasized the importance of the assessment's result that will serve as input for the second semester's planning. According to Amista, the activity is aimed to support the national thrust of the Arroyo Administration particularly on good governance.

Among the areas of concerns reviewed and assessed were programs and projects on older persons and development, health and well being into old age, and enabling and supportive environments for RPAOP.

RPAOP's highlights of accomplishments include the conduct of a consultative forum by local social welfare offices on the implementation of RA 7432 or the Senior Citizens Act. It also organized federation of senior citizens associations in 70 municipalities, 3 cities, and 4 provinces, including the Regional Federation of Senior Citizens in Caraga.

RPAOP also lobbied and successfully helped in the passage of local ordinances for the provision of mortuary aid to older persons in the cities of Bislig, Butuan and Surigao and the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte. It also enjoined LGUs to adhere to the provision of the DBM-DSWD Joint Memorandum Circular, appropriating one percent of the total budget of the LGU for programs for older persons and PWDs.

It was also announced that the LGUs of Bislig City and Surigao del Norte had already released the once percent share for OPs and PWDs in 2004. Installation of 4 billboards containing the benefits/privileges of older persons in conspicuous areas of Surigao City has also been completed.

The DSWD Regional Office, working closely with RPAOP intensified advocacy on Republic Act 9257 otherwise known as the Expanded Seniors Citizens Act to all local social workers in 77 LGUs during the Social Welfare and Development Forum providing all LGUs a copy of the new law. It successfully conducted orientation on R.A. 9257 to all inter-agency members in the formulation of RPAOP and all Senior Citizens Federation Presidents during the RPAOP Mid-Year Review on June 11, 2004 and REFESCA meeting on November 17, 2004.

Furthermore, RPAOP conducted radio interview advocating R.A. 7432 and R.A. 9257, and of approved local resolutions granting monthly honorarium to the municipal federation presidents of Agusan del Norte.

On the other hand, some of the issues and concerns presented is the refusal of the drugstores to give mandatory discounts on medicines despite of the dialogues conducted. Another was the amount appropriated by LGUs for burial assistance/mortuary aid were already exhausted and the need to increase the budget for mortuary aid.

With the issues and concerns presented, RPAOP stakeholders agreed to enforce what was stipulated under R.A. 7432 and R.A. 9257, and ask LGUs to increase mortuary aid budget. (PIA-Caraga)

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