The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) has committed to expanding inclusive initiatives for senior citizens at the grassroots level across the Philippines, moving beyond policy to tangible support, officials said.
NCSC Pledges Inclusive Initiatives for Senior Citizens
The NCSC pledged to serve senior citizens with inclusive, tangible, and active initiatives from national offices to local communities, aiming to make support a “lived reality.” The commission commits its resources, network, and political will to act as a watchdog, partner, and supporter for the senior citizen population.
NCSC Chairperson and CEO Atty. Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez made the pledge during the 3rd Central Luzon Congress of Senior Citizens on January 9, 2026, at Heroes Hall, San Fernando, Pampanga, addressing nearly 600 delegates.
Gutierrez emphasized the NCSC’s mission to listen to and incorporate the wisdom of the elderly population into every decision made. The goal is to ensure that progress reaches every senior citizen across Central Luzon and that no Filipino elder is excluded from national development.
“The true measure of a nation’s justice system is not how it treats the rich and powerful, but how it treats the vulnerable,” Gutierrez added.
Gutierrez noted that Central Luzon serves as a model for multi-sectoral support, but stressed the need to replace bureaucratic indifference with a system that values seniors as active participants in nation-building. She expressed hope that the support felt in Central Luzon would become the standard for all senior citizens in the Philippines.
The congress brought together seven provinces of Central Luzon, strengthening collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and the senior citizen sector. The event also coincided with the 39th anniversary of the Kapampangan Development Foundation, Inc. (KDFI), a key partner in the region’s elderly welfare initiatives and the lead organizer of the activity.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Central Luzon is home to more than 1 million senior citizen residents, highlighting the importance of the Commission’s interventions.
During the congress, NCSC – Central Luzon Regional Director Emmanuel E. Daez introduced key programs, including the rollout of Senior Citizens Community Care Centers (SC3Cs). Successful milestones include the launch of a center in Plaridel, Bulacan, and the operationalization of a new center in Malolos, Bulacan.
Daez described the SC3Cs as safe spaces for social engagement, health support, and community-based care for older persons.
The NCSC – Region 3 aims to strengthen its partnership with KDFI, exploring potential areas of collaboration such as data sharing for research and policy advocacy, joint assessments of the elderly situation, and program alignment focused on intergenerational, multi-sectoral, and rights-based initiatives.
“Kareng matatanda, alang maiwan, alang malimutan, at alang bale-wala,” Regional Director Daez said, calling for sustained unity and collaboration across sectors.
PhilHealth highlighted its YAKAP Program, which provides seniors with expanded outpatient benefits, including 75 essential medicines and free cancer screenings. United Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay reaffirmed her commitment to legislative reforms, including the push for a universal social pension.
As Central Luzon’s senior citizen population continues to grow, the NCSC emphasized that platforms like the congress are crucial in translating policies into meaningful services, ensuring that every senior citizen is seen, valued, and empowered.
“Let us begin this work together with a renewed spirit of urgency and profound empathy. Let us leave this Congress with the determination to build a Philippines where every senior can live their life with the security and peace of mind that is the very definition of real justice,” Atty. Gutierrez stated.
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