NCSC Commits to Extend Inclusive Senior Citizens Initiatives at the Grassroots Level

The National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) pledged to serve senior citizens in the years ahead with inclusive, tangible, and active initiatives from the top down to the grassroots across the country, going beyond words on paper to become a well-deserved “lived reality.”

“We [NCSC] are a government institution mandated to ensure the effective implementation of all laws concerning our sector. We commit our resources, our network, and our political will to be your watchdog, your partner, and your most ardent supporter.”

This is what NCSC Chairperson and CEO Atty. Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez expressed to nearly 600 delegates during the 3rd Central Luzon Congress of Senior Citizens on 09 January 2026 at Heroes Hall, San Fernando, Pampanga.

In her message, Atty. Gutierrez emphasized that the NCSC’s mission is to listen and seek the wisdom of the elderly population from all walks of life, ensuring that their voices are central to every decision made.

“Our goal is to reach every senior across the expansive provinces of Central Luzon, ensuring that the progress of our nation is felt in every household and that no elderly Filipino is left out of the loop of national development,” the NCSC Chairperson and CEO shared.

“The true measure of a nation’s justice system is not how it treats the rich and powerful, but how it treats the vulnerable,” Atty. Gutierrez added.

She further noted that Central Luzon is a model for multi-sectoral support, but warned bureaucratic indifference must be replaced by a system that values seniors as active participants in nation-building.

“We see a shining model of how community-based support and private-sector partnership can thrive, and we aim to ensure that the warmth and security you feel here today becomes the standard for every senior citizen across the entire Philippine archipelago,” Atty. Gutierrez shared.

The day-long congress brought together seven provinces of Central Luzon, which strengthened collaboration between government agencies, civil society organizations, and the senior citizen sector.

This event coincided with the 39th anniversary of the Kapampangan Development Foundation, Inc. (KDFI), a key partner in the region's elderly welfare initiatives and the lead organizer of the activity.

According to the recent Census of Population and Housing of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), there are more than 1 million senior citizen residents in Central Luzon. This growing number underscores the importance of the Commission’s interventions.

During the program, NCSC - Central Luzon Regional Director Emmanuel E. Daez introduced key programs of the Commission. One of which is the rollout of the Senior Citizens Community Care Centers (SC3Cs), with a successful milestone launch in Plaridel, Bulacan, and the operationalization of a new center in Malolos, Bulacan.

He described these SC3Cs as safe spaces for social engagement, health support, and community-based care for older persons.

The NCSC - Region 3 aims for a stronger partnership with KDFI, citing potential areas of local collaboration, such as data sharing for research and policy advocacy, joint assessments on the elderly situation, and program alignment focused on intergenerational, multi-sectoral, and rights-based initiatives.

“Kareng matatanda, alang maiwan, alang malimutan, at alang bale-wala,” Regional Director Daez said as he called for sustained unity and collaboration across sectors.

The Central Luzon Congress of Senior Citizens served as a convergence point for several agencies, such as PhilHealth, which highlighted its YAKAP Program that provides seniors with expanded outpatient benefits, including 75 essential medicines and free cancer screenings.

United Senior Citizens Party-list Representative Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay was likewise present at the event and reaffirmed her commitment to legislative reforms, including the push for a universal social pension.

As Central Luzon’s senior citizen population continues to grow, the NCSC emphasized that platforms, such as the congress, are crucial in translating policies into meaningful services on the ground, where every senior citizen is seen, valued, and empowered in their golden years.

“Let us begin this work together with a renewed spirit of urgency and profound empathy. Let us leave this Congress with the determination to build a Philippines where every senior can live their life with the security and peace of mind that is the very definition of real justice,” Atty. Gutierrez stated. ■