PB OKs elderly hubs ordinance

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu Province is set to bring elderly care closer to home after the 17th Sangguniang Panlalawigan gave its final nod to an ordinance that aims to establish dedicated centers in every town and component city.

On third and final reading on Feb. 16, 2026, the provincial board approved an ordinance mandating the establishment of Senior Citizens Community Care Centers in all municipalities and component cities across the province, aimed at strengthening support systems for senior citizens at the grassroots level.

Authored by Provincial Board Member Julius Anthony G. Corominas, chairman of the committee on senior citizens, the ordinance highlights the province’s policy to promote the welfare of the elderly and uphold their right to a dignified, active, and well-supported life.

Cited in the ordinance is Section 9, Article XIII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, which mandates the State to protect the rights of the elderly and promote their well-being.

It also aligns with Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which provides for a comprehensive and integrated support system for senior citizens.

Also cited is Republic Act No. 7876, which institutionalized the establishment of senior citizens centers in every city and municipality nationwide.

Under the ordinance, each municipality and component city in Cebu is mandated to establish and operate a Senior Citizens Community Care Center with its own utilities meter.

The centers are designed as hubs offering a wide range of services, which include addressing the physical, mental, social, and even economic needs of elderly residents.

Among the required services are wellness programs covering visual, dental, auditory, psychosocial, spiritual, and mental health care, as well as lifestyle coaching, nutrition planning, and exercise programs tailored for senior citizens.

The centers are also mandated to provide palliative care focused on pain relief and symptom management.

To support families, the ordinance includes caregiver respite services, offering temporary relief to family members or informal caregivers who look after elderly loved ones.

Recognizing that many senior citizens remain productive, the centers will also serve as venues for livelihood training and provide economic spaces where seniors can engage in income-generating activities or contribute to community enterprises.

Corominas likewise included socialization programs in the ordinance aimed at reducing isolation and fostering interaction and relationships among elderly residents.

The ordinance also requires disaster preparedness initiatives to ensure that senior citizens are informed and empowered during emergencies, as well as training-of-trainers programs to equip staff, volunteers, and community leaders to deliver services effectively.

With this, each local government unit (LGU) is required to assign or designate qualified employees to manage the centers.

"They may also ask upon the services of private volunteers that are knowledgeable in providing care and services such as medical, educational and all other services and facilities that are favorable and advantageous to senior citizens," the ordinance read.

Access to the centers will be open to qualified senior citizens aged 60 and above, subject to eligibility assessment by their local OSCA.

However, those suffering from contagious diseases, mental illness, or deemed of unsound mind whose actuations are considered inimical to others may be ineligible for the service, based on certification from a qualified government or private physician.

"Further, such senior citizens that are found to be ineligible by the Center to avail of their services shall be referred by the latter to the appropriate government agency for the needed medical care or attention," a portion of the ordinance read.

To ease operational costs, the centers will be exempt from the payment of customs duties, taxes, and tariffs on imported equipment and supplies used directly and exclusively for their operations, including donated items, in line with existing law.

They will also enjoy at least a 50 percent discount on electricity, water, and telephone consumption, as provided under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.

Funding for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the centers will be sourced from the annual allocations of each local government unit.

"The Provincial Government of Cebu may provide supplementary funding, technical assistance, and training support to ensure the effective implementation of this ordinance," it read.

Monitoring and evaluation will be undertaken by the National Commission on Senior Citizens in Central Visayas through the Provincial OSCA or the respective LGU OSCAs, which are tasked with submitting annual performance reports to the Office of the Provincial Governor and the Provincial Board through the committee on senior citizens. — (FREEMAN)