Updated March 30, 2009 12:00 AM [ philstar.com ]
MANILA, Philippines - Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Esperanza Cabral said Friday the health and well-being of its elderly residents were the primary factors in the impending transfer of the Golden Acres Home for the Aged from Quezon City to Tanay, Rizal.
Cabral said older persons need an environment that is quiet, with abundance of fresh air, and where they can move around freely.
“Tanay is an ideal retirement village for older persons,” she said.
Golden Acres is a one-hectare DSWD facility that cares for senior citizens who are abandoned, neglected and needy.
In a few months, Golden Acres will move to Tanay from its original place in Bago Bantay – its home for the past 60 years.
The transfer of the facility has created a stir among the employees who believe they will be dislocated.
“We are constantly holding dialogues and consultations with the staff and even with the residents to explain to them the benefits of transferring to Tanay. I request the staff to set aside their fears and be enlightened that the welfare of our elders should be paramount,” Cabral said.
The Tanay facility, which is still under construction, will have nine buildings with enough living quarters for up to 270 older persons, the DSWD said. It will also have two staff houses, one central laundry, one central kitchen, and one activity center.
The administration building and the hospital, which were funded by the Congressional Spouses Foundation, Inc., are already finished, the DSWD said.
According to Cabral, the Quezon City facility can accommodate 150 persons but the current number of residents have exceeded this figure.
“Overcrowding at the center has made the residents susceptible to ailments such as skin diseases, colds and flu. This is compounded by the polluted and noisy environment in the area,” Cabral said.
“The area is a fire trap, and I will not have the blood of our residents and employees on my hands. That is why I made plans to transfer Golden Acres to a more suitable place,” she added.
Cabral said President Arroyo provided some P200 million for the transfer of Golden Acres to Tanay and this was approved by Congress last year.
Last week, some residents of the Golden Acres together with the militant group Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees, held a protest rally at the facility to oppose the transfer.
The group argued that the new location is near Camp Capinpin where military exercises are regularly held.
It said the employees also feared that not all of their clients could be accommodated in the new facility.
“Tanay is very far from Manila. Our meager salaries and benefits will not suffice the high transport cost. It is natural for the employees to leave their jobs than spend much on transportation,” said Mon Loza, national president of the DSWD’s Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines.
“Sadly, it is not that easy to look for a new job amidst the economic crisis that our country is currently facing,” Loza added. – Helen Flores
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