by Lealina Evangeline Reyes
Under the heat of Dumaguete’s summer sun sleeps an elderly lady. A thin piece of cardboard separates her body from the pavement as shades of surrounding trees offer cover from the peak of noontime rays.
She lives unknown to many Dumagueteños—a mere beggar to most. Her story that still remains untold is a reflection of the Philippines’ lack of service and care to the homeless elderly.
The reality of the lady living on the sidewalk is not a new occurrence in the country. Oftentimes, the elderly are seen living by the streets, inside make-shift tents, and outside establishments where they take their chances, asking for food and money to fulfill their basic needs.
In Dumaguete, the elderly who are either abandoned or neglected offer themselves to the mercy of strangers just to live another day. They roam around the city with nothing but the clothes on their backs which are often not enough to shield them from the heat of the sun or the cold of the evening breeze.
This situation of homelessness of the elderly stands in contrast with the Filipino’s general culture of close familial ties and deep-rooted respect for the elderly that created the norm of the next generations taking care of older relatives.
Despite the existence of homes for the aged in the country, many of their facilities are not meant to cater to the lower class. The Department of Social Welfare and Development noted in 2019 that there are only 33 nursing homes in the country, and only four are government-owned.
With private facilities costing more than ₱15,000 per month, many impoverished elderly have nowhere else to go.
Older citizens need more care and attention. Leaving them to their own devices reflects a system that projects apathy and disconnect from those who are in most need.
Concrete and urgent action must be taken by both the government and regular Filipinos alike to take care of these homeless elderly and ensure they live for another day.
(This piece won second place in the Development Reporting contest in the National Conference on Campus Journalism and 19th Writing Competition on March 15, 2025.)
