Senior citizen sectoral rep in all legislative councils – Lapid

Senator Manuel “Lito” Lapid wants a senior citizen sectoral representative in all local legislative councils in order to provide an avenue for the elderly to participate in local governance and legislation.

“There is no better way to address the country’s ageing population than to involve our senior citizens in policymaking and agenda setting from the grassroots-level to the highest levels of local governance,” Lapid said.

He authored Senate Bill 1169 which provides for the mandatory sectoral representation of senior citizens in all local government legislative councils, from the barangay level up to the provincial Sanggunian (Council).

The bill seeks to institutionalize the presence and voice of senior citizens in the local Sanggunian.

Lapid explained that senior citizens could still be productive members of the society and that local government units should involve them more in the crafting of local ordinances and local government-led initiatives that cater to their needs and concerns.

“Our senior citizens are experienced and have gone through the rigors of life that they could impart to the Sanggunians. We want to give them a voice in the councils. We want them to feel that they are a productive element in society,” Lapid said in Filipino.

Under the bill, there shall be one senior citizen representative in every barangay Sanggunian, municipal or city Sanggunian and provincial Sanggunian.