Those who verbally abuse their elderly family members in Valenzuela City would have to serve no less than six years in prison, should a proposed ordinance see passage.

Repeated verbal abuse is among the acts punishable by prision mayor – imprisonment for a minimum of 6 years and 1 day and a maximum of 12 years – as provided for in an ordinance recently filed in the Valenzuela City council.

Authored by 1^st District City Councilor Corazon Cortez, “An Ordinance Providing [for a] Protection Program for the Elderly Residents of Valenzuela City Against Abuse [and] Redefining their Rights Thereof” seeks to create a comprehensive policy that protects residents aged 60 and above from varied forms of abuse.

Coun. Cortez said cases of abuses on elderly persons are “severely underreported”. She added, “[Dependence] of the elderly on their abusers and fear of being abandoned and institutionalized are some obvious reasons why elderly abuse are scarcely reported.”

The ordinance lists 12 categories of prohibited acts, which includes causing physical harm, depriving of financial support, public ridicule, as well as inflicting physical harm on oneself to control the decision-making or action of the elderly person.

Attempted, frustrated and consummated parricide, murder or homicide are punishable under the provisions of the Revised Penal Code. The rest of the penalties range from arresto mayor – imprisonment from one month and one day to six months –to prision mayor.

Ruben Cornelio, president of the newly formed Valenzuela City Senior Citizens Federation, said lobbying for the passage of the ordinance is the organization’s priority.

 “It’s not only the abused elderly who suffer, but the whole local government too, which has to spend to take care of them,” Cornelio said.

Valenzuela City’s halfway house, Bahay Kalinga, currently has 10 elderly residents, all abandoned by their families and saved from the streets by city government social workers.

Besides the elderly protection ordinance, two ordinances on elderly welfare filed by Coun. Cortez are pending in the council.

“An Ordinance Awarding Due Recognition and Benefits to the City’s Living Residents Aged 100 Years or More as Part of the City’s Continued Effort to Take Good Care of Its Senior Citizens” seeks to provide centenarians – those aged 100 and above – with a yearly incentive of PhP 10,000.

On the other hand, “An Ordinance Urging All Cinema Operators in Valenzuela City to Grant Free Admission to All Senior Citizens of the City on All Films Shown in their Establishment” would allow senior citizens to watch free movies during their birthdays; on the whole month of October, which is the Elderly Month; Christmas and New Year.

The Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs reports 33,135 senior citizens residing in the city today.