THE National Commission on Senior Citizens (NCSC) is urging local government units and owners of commercial establishments like shopping malls to give the elderly at least two hours in the morning to buy basic needs.
Franklin Quijano, NCSC chairman, said the agency has been receiving complaints about establishments refusing the elders entry, even if they have to buy personal items.
He proposed that seniors be given from 9 to 11 a.m. to do their shopping.
Depending on the quarantine classification in their areas, malls, groceries, and pharmacies open between 8 and 10 a.m.
“We hope that the first portion of the day, puwede ibigay sa senior citizens kasi disinfected naman yung malls sa gabi and in the morning (We hope they can give the first portion of the day to senior citizens because malls are being disinfected at night and in the morning).
If the senior citizens are allowed, then the chances or risks of them getting any disease is low,” Quijano said at the “Laging Handa” briefing.
“It’s not just that we can go around anywhere, it’s really that we have to answer the needs of the senior citizens and these are the basic needs that we would like our society to give,” he also said.
Under the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, persons younger than 21 years and those 60 years and older are not allowed to go out of their homes while there is still no vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Senior citizens who are going to work or checkups are exempted from the stay at home policy. Those who need to buy their own food, medicine, and other personal needs are allowed to go out if they do not have any other members in the household who can do the purchases.
