The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Wednesday appealed for stronger community structures to protect the elderly following the recent incident in Antipolo, Rizal where an elderly person with disability was mocked by four men.

“Let this incident be a reminder to all that our senior citizens have rights that are protected by the State. Hindi pwede yung bibiru-biruin at parang pinaglalaruan sila porke hindi na sila malakas physically para umangal (It is unacceptable for them to be made fun of or mocked just because they cannot defend themselves anymore),” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a news release.

Dumlao encouraged local government units (LGUs) to replicate the agency’s Reporting System and Prevention Program for Elderly Abuse Cases (ReSPPEC) to safeguard the elderly and address cases of abuse.

The ReSPPEC is a community-based program that aims to protect the rights and safety of older persons by strengthening partnerships and networks among the senior citizens’ sector, stakeholders, and LGUs.

Although not prevalent, there are reported situations wherein older persons suffer greatly either from family members or from strangers, Dumlao said.

Under the ReSPPEC, a holistic system is put into place at the community level, which provides for the reporting, investigating, intervening, and monitoring of the elderly, especially in cases of abuse.

Dumlao said ReSPPEC was pilot-tested in San Carlos, Pangasinan; Lambunao, Iloilo; Maco, Davao de Oro; and Valenzuela City, the National Capital Region.

The pilot areas established a Protective Committee for Senior Citizens and an Elderly Help Desk.

Other components of the program include the creation of a referral network for services, the development of a reporting mechanism for elder abuse; the conduct of an elder abuse awareness advocacy program; and capability building of stakeholders.

Dumlao said the DSWD is willing to provide guidance and technical assistance to the LGUs wanting to replicate the ReSPPEC in their communities to prevent abuse of the elderly and provide adequate interventions to those at risk.

“We need to give due respect to the elderly and prevent the Rizal incident from happening again,” she said. (PNA)