A Senior citizen in the Philippines are those aged 60 years old and above, according to RA 9994, also known as “Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010”.

Things you know about the senior Citizens may not be enough, so I am here to gather and share information about this sector of the society.

All the figures mentioned here are taken from the 2015 survey.

1. There are 7.5 million senior citizens out of 100 million (7.5%) based on the 2015 census. Specifically, there are 7,548,769 senior citizens that are over 60 years old in 100,981,437 total number of Filipinos in 2015.

2. There are more female senior citizens than the male counterpart. Female seniors are 4.22 million (58.8%), while the male seniors are 3.33 million (44.2%).

3. Region IV-A has the most number of senior citizens with 1,007,100 million (13.3%). Region IV-A is CALABARZON and is composed of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon provinces. While the region with least number of senior citizens is Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with 112,148 (1.3%) senior citizens. ARMM is composed of provinces Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

4. The married senior citizens are 4.37 million (57.9%) out of the 7,548,769 senior citizens. Widowed seniors are 2.31 million (30.6%). Common law or living together but not legally married are 235 thousand (3.1%). Divorced or separated are 139 thousand (1.8%) and the single seniors are 489 thousand (6.5%).

5. Only over 900 thousand (12%) senior citizens are college degree holders. Majority of the seniors 3.85 million (51%) have attained elementary as their highest education. Followed by high school finishers 1.88 million (25%), college undergraduate 440 thousand (5.8%). No grade completed 320 thousand (4.2%). Post secondary seniors is 110 thousand (1.5%). Lastly, post-baccalaureate senior citizens is 40 thousand (0.5%)

6. The 6.25 million (82.8%) of the senior citizens are Roman Catholic. Followed by 758 thousand (10%) seniors with unspecified religion. Next is Islam 193 thousand (2.6%), Iglesia 188 thousand (2.5%) and lastly there are 159 thousand (2.1%) seniors who are Evangelical Christians.

7. About 95.3 % or 7.18 million of Filipino senior citizens are literate, those who can basically read and write.

8. There are 3.17 million (42.1%) senior citizens who are gainful workers. Gainful workers are those working as professionals, technicians, machine operators, craft workers, service and sales, managers, agriculture, fishery and forestry. Secondly, the pensioners, retired and disable are 1.68 million (22.3%). Housekeepers come third, 1.57 million (20.8%). And the last, students and dependents are about 1.1 million (14.8%).

Source: Philippine Statistic Authority