Background of the Study The amount of care that a society extends to its elderly and disabled members is a measure of the humaneness that that particular society possesses (De Leon, 2011). In a country whose basic social unit is characterized by a cultural value people call as “close family ties”, it is expected of the government to put a premium on the welfare of the elderly members of the Filipino family (Andres, T. & Andres P., 1987). Article XV, Section 4 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that: “The family has the duty to care for its elderly members, but the State may also do so through just programs of social security.”
This is the main thrust of Republic Act No. 9994, also known as the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which recognizes the integral role of Senior Citizens in Philippine society. According to the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines (2010), the said law supports the improvement of the general well-being of Senior Citizens by upholding their rights and encouraging their families and communities to exemplify the Filipino tradition of respect, love, and care for the elderly. Furthermore, the law aims to encourage Senior Citizens to actively participate in public and civic affairs in an effort to reaffirm their importance in nation-building. It also seeks to create mechanisms that maximize the contributions of Senior Citizens in the body politic. Moreover, the wisdom behind the said law also stems from Article II, Section 10