The Philippines is projected to become an aging society by 2030, but inadequate support systems, such as weak healthcare, limited pensions and low digital literacy risk leaving millions of older Filipinos vulnerable.
Experts at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC), organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), urged the government to strengthen institutions, embrace technology responsibly and ensure no elderly Filipino is left behind.
“The Philippines is aging before it becomes economically affluent,” said Dr. Grace Cruz of the UP Population Institute.
Findings from the “Longitudinal Study of Aging and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP)” reveal that older Filipinos have fragile and informal sources of support: six in ten rely on their children, 54 percent on pensions, only one in four earn from work due to low employment rates and 18 percent receive remittances from abroad.
Limited financial security compounds health risks, with 69 percent of older persons having hypertension and half of them untreated. Care work also falls disproportionately on women, 83 percent of whom serve as primary caregivers, often without formal training.
These challenges are further magnified by the digital divide. “Only six percent of older persons use the internet, compared to 43 percent of the general population,” Cruz said, leaving many excluded from digital services and opportunities.
Without intervention, Cruz said these gaps will erode quality of life. “Let’s turn longevity into a silver dividend by investing in health programs, data, technology, and governance.”
Dr. Shelley Ann de la Vega, director of the Institute on Aging at the University of the Philippines Manila–National Institutes of Health, warned that many older Filipinos are facing isolation, poor quality of life, and high rates of sleep disorders, depression, and cognitive impairment—with nearly one in four at risk for dementia.
The healthcare system is ill-equipped to respond. “Only 52 percent of hospitals offered comprehensive geriatric assessment,” de la Vega said, noting that there are only 155 board-certified geriatricians, mostly in the National Capital Region (NCR). Mental health services remain scarce, particularly in rural areas and outside urban centers, she added.
To bridge these gaps, De la Vega pointed to “Gerontechnology,” technology specially designed to support older adults in their daily lives and healthcare. These include simple yet vital tools, such as blood pressure monitors and pill dispensers, to advanced systems, including telehealth platforms.
Still, she said, “technology alone will not suffice.” Policymakers should establish a national long-term care insurance program, pursue retirement reforms and expand digital literacy programs.
Strengthening healthcare also requires stronger data management, according to Angely Garcia, research assistant professor, also from the National Institutes of Health.
“Data governance is crucial for informing policy, guiding healthcare providers, maximizing the benefits of collected data, and determining accountability and processes,” Garcia said.
Garcia pointed to opportunities of artificial intelligence (AI), such as neural network modeling for early detection of Parkinson’s disease and decision-support tools for clinicians. However, it also poses risks, including the digital divide, data privacy concerns, AI bias and a lack of transparency in algorithms.
To move forward, Garcia called for embedding core principles into national standards: “protecting people, promoting health value and equity, investing in AI infrastructure and digital literacy, ensuring ethical AI development and deployment, and maintaining fairness, transparency, and human oversight.”
Building on these discussions, retired UP professor Dr. Grace Shangkuan Koo reflected on the broader implications of AI and aging. She described “dataism” as the new religion, where control rests with those who own the most data.
While AI may extend life through drug discovery, Koo reminded the audience of its limits.
“Technology cannot teach compassion, empathy, or emotional intelligence. Humanities remain essential for guiding ethical and meaningful life, even in the era of AI,” she said.
For Koo, technology may aid our work, but “compassion, wisdom and reflection remain irreplaceable.”
