SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, has published a pioneering book on the value of the ageing population of the Philippines.
Authored by University of the Philippines professor Clarita Carlos, the pioneering book entitled “Population Ageing in the Philippines, Issues and Challenges” presents facts and figures on the rapidly increasing ageing population in the Philippines.
Professor Carlos during the launch of the book at The Podium said that senior citizens have the power to elect the next president of the country.
The prominent academic said that anyone vying for the presidency should tap into the 60 years and old and above age group because they will play a major role in electing the president in the next election, according to the SM release.
“The population of the elderly in the Philippines will be more than 10 percent in 2020, thus political leaders should think of reaching out to (them). Not only is this mandated in the Philippine Constitution (under Article XIII) but the number is also significant in electing the next president of this country by 2022,” Carlos said.
She pointed out that the elderly population in the Philippines is increasing faster than the growth of the population. In 2000, there were 4.6 million senior citizens or about 6 percent of the population. In 2010, the number grew to 6 million or 6.9 percent of the population. By 2022, the elderly is expected to be around 12 million which is a significant factor in the election of the leaders at that period.
Carlos further stressed that the older age group enlarged at a faster rate of 3.4 percent per year compared with younger (1.5 percent) and working (2.8 percent) age groups from 1970 to 2010.
The ageing population is a worldwide phenomenon for all countries in the world, except Africa, according to Carlos. The number of older persons is project to grow by 56 percent from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion in 2030. By year 2030, the population of older persons will be more than the number of children aged 0-9 years with 1.4 billion for the former and 1.3 billion for the latter.
