Old fashioned – that’s what our seniors are often derisively and dismissively called. Their waltzing on the dance floor to a live brass band may not make any sense to our hyperactive youth, but being old-fashioned can be turned around into a lot of things positive.
This is the running theme of the day on Senior Citizens’ Day on April 4 at the Events Center.
As Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao put it, “Hindi dahil senior citizen na ay wala nang pwedeng icontribute. Ang mga seniors ang siyang may karanasan na kailangang maishare sa mga kabataan.”
“Noong ako’y kumandidato,” he went on, “sabi ko sa sarili ko, ako ay isang senior citizen ha – ano ang aking magagawa pang ako ay may silbi? Ginamit ko ang aking karanasan sa negosyo upang tulungang umangat ang kabuhayan sa Bayambang.”
These pronouncements were echoed by the day’s guest speaker, Mr. Gerenerio ‘Rene’ Q. Rosales, himself a retired teacher and now an action desk officer on Employment and Migrant Worker Concerns. Seniors have the advantage of age, so they make a potent witness to the vagaries of history and the faults and follies of human beings, Rosales pointed out.
“While it is true that we, the aged, are a vulnerable sector, open to attack, cataracts and hearing loss don’t mean we aren’t useful anymore.” … “We in fact play a great role in society. We are role models in leadership, dedication, etc.”
“Did you know that according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 7% of our population is composed of seniors, with an average age of 68 years old? Out of the 15.6 million households, 2.3 million are headed by seniors. Around 80% of seniors in Bayambang are literate, especially since many of our retirees are former teachers.”
As if to underscore the fact that “may asim pa si lolo at lola,” as the popular saying goes, the winners of a competition held on an earlier date called “Super Lolo and Super Lola” made special appearance in a modest awarding ceremony. Not to be confused with some infamous New Year’s Eve firecrackers, they are Super Lolo ____ and Super Lola Mindamora Bruan.
Among the other dignitaries present are 3rd District Board Member Angel Baniqued, the Vice-Governor’s representative Darwina Sampang, San Carlos City Councilor Vici Ventanilla, Vice-Mayor Raul R. Sabangan, and Municipal Councilors Amory Junio, Mylvin ‘Boying’ Junio, Martin Terrado.
With the royal treatment they had received, seniors can indeed say with conviction, “Hindi pa kami laos!”
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