Let us give a thought on our aging and the elderly

CULTURAL NOTES

Richard Kinnud

One time at the quarters of a friend where a happy and gay barkada usually gathers, it was some herbal tea that was served instead of what normally is barako coffee.   
    Prompted by obscure looks, the host explained, “Daytoy didiay tea nga pampaatiddug ti biag!”. (This is the tea that prolongs life.)
    One of the guests replied, “Adi pay umabot tu ti 200 ti tawen tayu.  Ngem sapay kuma ah ta uray kasdiay ket haan tayu ay-ay-ayamen ti isbo tayu!” ( So our age might reach 200 yrs.  But hopefully, even then, we won’t be playing with our pees.)
    Everyone looks forward to live a long life – one that is not just plainly long but healthy both in the physical and cognitive aspect.  
    In our country, one is called a senior citizen at the age of 60.  For the employed sector, the mandatory age of retirement is 65.  Optional retirement is allowed at the age of 60.  And the earliest age to retire particularly for the uniformed personnel is 56.  Around these ages is what is generally referred as the elderly. 
    When at about these ages, one is frail, there are sighs of “Sayang!” especially referring to pensions and other possible emoluments.  “Mapan piman ti agas!” (It goes to to medicine) Or, “Haan na piman maganas!” (He/she is not enjoying!) On the other hand, people are happy when we see them still exhibiting strength and perceptiveness in body and mind.
    Life expectancy in the country is currently estimated at about a couple of years more after reaching the age of seventy.  Some estimators would put that about a couple of years lesser than seventy especially for the males.  And going beyond that is often referred to by people as “bonus” especially when these are healthy years.  The government has incentivized living beyond those age.  Living up to a century gives the aged a hundred thousand pesos.  And there are lobbies to make it a million.
But of course living long is more than just the economic side.  The law that provides for monetary reward to centenarians also have the provision that those who reach the age would also receive a letter of recognition from no less than the president of the republic.
    In the cultures of different ethnolinguistic groups in the Cordilleras, there are privileges granted to elderlies.   In family affairs, their wisdom is sought.  Even in simple matters such as food, a part of especially a ritual offering can be particularly reserved for the “lallakay” or “babbaket”. 
    Also, there particularly are rituals to honor elderlies.  In Ifugao for instance, there is the celebration of “honga”.
    Even in death, there are certain honors granted to elderlies.  It has become customary, for instance, that the tarpaulins serving as the background at the setting of the wake would contain enumeration of grandchildren and great grandchildren.  The greater the stats, the better as badge for an elderly.
    In some cultures, the age is also a determinant of the number of days of the wake and even the number and kind (carabaos or pigs) of animal sacrifices to be butchered.  There may even be playing of gongs and dancing for those who reached a certain age.
    We thus see that the rewards of aging is not just for the one who do become the elderly but also happiness for those people around him.
    The first week of October of every year is observed as Elderly Filipino Week by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 470, s. of 1994.  This is to let every one aware that there is this elderly sector who has to be sustainably recognized and whose needs are to be properly taken cared of.  This corner greets every one a reflective Elderly Filipino Week, even as we in the younger age brackets reflect on the daily teas, literally and figuratively, that we take in.