Respect, not neglect for our senior citizens

A heartbreaking display of neglect and a violation of human dignity.

- JOE ZALDARRIAGA

That is how I would describe the recent rescue of 17 senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) from an unregistered “care facility” in Maramag, Bukidnon in a story that has shocked the nation.

These vulnerable individuals were discovered in appalling conditions: photos show some were lying on filthy, worn-out mattresses, one disturbingly placed beside a toilet. The common bathroom was a picture of decay with moss-cov-ered surfaces from years of grime and jagged steel jutting out from unfinished walls, posing serious safety hazards. One report described the facility’s odor as an “unbearable stench,” a smell so foul that nearby residents had long complained.

The incident, which made headlines here and abroad, exposes the systemic neglect of our most vulnerable citizens and highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reform.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the unregistered care facility lacked professional caregivers, medical personnel, safety standards and even basic sanitation.

This wasn’t just mismanagement; it was a clear abuse of the helpless.