CHR strengthens rights protection of Caraga senior citizens
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur (PIA) — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Caraga continues to make human rights assistance accessible to senior citizens, reinforcing the government’s commitment to protect their dignity, rights, and welfare.
The initiative came as the country observed this year’s Elderly Filipino Week (EFW) from October 1 to 7 with the theme, “Nakatatandang Pilipino: May Halaga at Karapatan, May Boses at Ambag sa Bayan.” The national observance highlighted the value and rights of older persons and their continuing voice and contribution to nation-building.
During the Kapihan sa PIA on October 6, Attorney Jason Paul C. Magarin of CHR Caraga said the agency assists senior citizens with concerns affecting their rights and welfare, including requests for social pension, drafting of affidavits, and other legal and social concerns.
The assistance is part of CHR Caraga’s broader mandate to provide avenues for people to raise human rights concerns and seek appropriate assistance.
Magarin said the agency has handled around nine docketed cases involving senior citizens over the past couple of years, two of which were considered human rights violations.
He also shared that CHR Caraga assists individuals and families facing other concerns, including land-related issues involving family members.
Through its public assistance and complaint desk, the agency has likewise assisted around 29 individuals this year, providing an avenue for the public to raise complaints, concerns, and requests for assistance.
For senior citizens, such services are particularly important in ensuring that age does not become a barrier to accessing justice, government assistance, and protection of their rights.
The CHR’s approach is consistent with the national direction that recognizes the elderly not merely as beneficiaries of government programs but as full rights-holders whose voices, choices, dignity, and participation must be respected.
The 2026 EFW, led by the National Commission of Senior Citizens, likewise called for a whole-of-society approach toward an age-friendly and inclusive Philippines where older persons are valued, heard, and empowered.
With the observance of the EFW, CHR Caraga’s continuing assistance underscores the importance of ensuring that senior citizens can access mechanisms that protect their rights and address concerns affecting their daily lives.
Beyond recognizing their contributions, the observance calls for stronger systems that enable older Filipinos to live with dignity, exercise their rights, make informed choices, and continue participating meaningfully in society. (NGPB, PIA Surigao del Sur)
