[Issue Interview] "The Philippines Will Soon Face Aging... South Korea's Elderly Care System as a Benchmark"

Emily Beridiko, Representative of the Philippine Senior Participation Federation

"It is not an immediate issue right now, but the Philippines will soon enter an aging society. This is a phenomenon occurring throughout Southeast Asia, and from our perspective, South Korea is an important reference."

Emily Beridico, head of the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) in the Philippines, praised South Korea for having many best practices in responding to aging. This was her third trip to South Korea, and regarding South Korea's elderly-related systems, she said, "The elderly long-term care industry, which is supported and led by the government, is the most valuable lesson for the Philippines." She added, "Apart from some local governments, there is not yet a consensus on the necessity of this at the central government level in the Philippines."

Our government is recently promoting the introduction of foreign care workers amid the domestic aging trend. Seoul City has decided to bring in Filipino domestic helpers who have obtained government-certified qualifications starting in September as the first pilot project. However, the Philippines is also likely to enter an aging society by 2030, when the proportion of elderly people over 65 will exceed 7% of the population. How will the Philippines respond to its own aging situation? On the 16th, Asia Economy met with Emily Beridico, who participated in the 'ASEM International Forum on Elderly Human Rights' held at the Royal Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, hosted by the ASEM Elderly Human Rights Policy Center, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Delegation of the European Union to Korea, to hear about the aging issue in the Philippines.

On the 16th, Emily N. Beridico, representative of the Philippine Senior Citizens Federation, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Royal Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Park Yujin

- You have over 20 years of expertise in the senior field in the Philippines. What kind of work have you done?

▲ I started my career as a social worker in the Philippines and have worked in the senior field for 23 years. As a child, witnessing the experiences of aging grandparents sparked my interest in the lives of the elderly. I worked at HelpAge Philippines, an international elderly human rights organization, and now serve as the head of the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE), an NGO based in the Philippines. COSE was established in 1989 and focuses on developing community-based elderly care programs. I joined in 2002.

- Currently, the younger generation is larger, but there are forecasts that the Philippines will enter an aging society within the next five years. Does Filipino society share awareness of this situation?

▲ The current total population of the Philippines is just over 100 million, with about 9% aged 60 and above. There have been many reports predicting that the Philippines will enter an aging society between 2025 and 2030. This is influenced by many young people seeking jobs overseas and increasing life expectancy. However, since the birth rate remains high, the pattern is quite different from South Korea, where the proportion of elderly is rapidly increasing.

- How is the Philippines preparing at the national level to respond to an aging society?

▲ The Philippines has recognized this long-term trend and begun preparing for a future aging society. In particular, it is referencing the experiences of countries that have already experienced aging, such as Japan, South Korea, and Europe. It is exploring policy development, healthcare improvements, and strengthening social security.

This reflection started only recently. The biggest change is the establishment of the National Council on Senior Citizens (NCSC) under the Republic Act by the Philippine government in 2019. The council is tasked with collaborating with government agencies to provide welfare and services for the elderly. Also, the 2017-2022 Philippine Development Plan includes strategies to address the needs of the aging population, such as improving the healthcare system and social protection programs for seniors.

Regarding healthcare improvements, the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act enacted in 2019 aims to provide comprehensive healthcare access to all Filipinos, including the elderly.

- Is the senior-related industry developed in the Philippines?

▲ It is still in the early stages but is developing in housing and healthcare sectors. Demand for senior housing and assisted living facilities tailored to elderly needs is increasing, and with the rise in average life expectancy, demand for specialized elderly medical services is growing. Also, the Philippines tends to have more traditional extended families than South Korea, so development is focused on services that provide medical care and support to the elderly at home.

On the 16th, Emily N. Beridico, representative of the Philippine Senior Citizens League, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the Royal Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Park Yujin

- There are discussions about long-term care insurance for the elderly in the Philippines as well, right?

▲ There are talks in the Philippines about strengthening long-term care facilities and services for the elderly by referencing the long-term care insurance systems established in South Korea and Japan. The Philippines also studies the situations and problems faced by South Korea and Japan, which have experienced rapid aging, to prevent similar issues. For example, concerns about the financial sustainability of pension systems and the need for robust elderly care infrastructure. By integrating these strategies and learning from global cases, the Philippines aims to build a support environment for the aging population that ensures the health, welfare, and social inclusion of the elderly. However, systems like long-term care insurance require significant budgets, so progress at the central government level is still limited, and this remains a challenge for the Philippines.

- Currently, the Philippines sends care workers abroad, so there may be sufficient manpower, but as the elderly population increases, might there be a shortage of care workers?

▲ Although it may seem premature, in the long term, the Philippines is likely to face a shortage of care workers as the elderly population grows. Demand for elderly care is increasing in the Philippines, but many Filipino care workers are migrating to other countries like South Korea for higher wages.

The Philippine government is aware of this situation and is implementing several initiatives to prevent future care worker shortages. For example, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) under the Department of Education offers training programs to increase the number of domestically trained caregivers. Discussions are ongoing to create policies supporting the caregiving industry, including improving working conditions with better wages and incentives to retain domestic care workers.