Geriatic center opened in Ilocos

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens in Ilocos Norte may now avail themselves of specialized health services from a newly opened geriatric center in the province.

The Department of Health (DOH) said the center can serve more than 77,100 senior citizens who need services that promote healthy aging and improve their quality of life.

Officials of the DOH-Ilocos Region Center for Health Development and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC) led the opening of the center.

The facility is expected to strengthen the implementation of the Universal Health Care Act by bringing comprehensive, age-friendly, and specialized healthcare services closer to communities across Northern Luzon.

DOH-Ilocos chief Helen Tobias said the opening of the center is a timely response to one of the region’s most significant demographic shifts.

Tobias noted the growing number of elderly in the province, saying that healthcare services must evolve with the needs of the people.

MMMHMC chief Maria Lourdes Otayza said the facility is a center of hope for older Filipinos and their families.