Bella Roman Ranin, 86, is a mother of three professionals and a loving grandmother of 5. She dedicated 38 years to teaching in a public school and another 33 years in a private school. “When I turned 82 years old, my family requested that the administration office of Felix Alfelor Foundation College relieve me from teaching. At first, I resisted, but later, I realized that my children and grandchildren did this for me.”
She has been a widow for 15 years and lives alone in her home in Sipocot, Camarines Sur. However, she never feels lonely. “My neighborhood and the community are kind to me – we knew each other very well. I’ve lived here for more than half a century.”
Bella actively participates in various community roles and activities. She serves as a Board of Directors (BOD) member of Sipocot Water District, a Parish Pastoral Council member, and a Catholic Women’s League loyalty member. Additionally, she is a member of the Barangay Committee on Justice (Lupong Tagapamayapa) and an Adviser of the Barangay Impig Senior Citizens Association.
She has been an active member of the Senior Citizens Organization in their barangay (village) since becoming a senior citizen. “Our organization has a mutual aid program, but the activities for members are limited, and we know we could still improve our organization. That’s why we are grateful for COSE’s presence in our municipality because it has provided us with valuable learning opportunities and numerous benefits through its capacity development activities.”
The Municipality of Sipocot is one of the four municipalities covered by the project “Improving Access to Needs-Based Healthcare of Older Persons by Strengthening the Capacity of Older Persons Organizations (OPOs) in Camarines Sur Province, Philippines.” This is a three-year project being implemented by the Coalition of Services of the Elderly, Inc. (COSE) in the Municipalities of Del Gallego, Pamplona, Minalabac, and Sipocot, and is being supported by the Federal Republic of Germany Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), HelpAge Germany, and Aktion Deutschland Hilft (ADH).
She engages in various activities of the project led by the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) in Sipocot, including Orientations on Laws and Policies related to older persons, as well as advocacy and health activities.
In August 2024, Bella was elected Chairperson of the Health Committee of the Federation of Sipocot Senior Citizens. “I’ve realized that health knowledge is crucial for maintaining and promoting good health and well-being. And I am grateful to COSE for their support, which enabled us to form a health committee, something that was not included in our organization’s previous Constitution and By-Laws (CBL).”
Together with other members of the Health Committee, Bella visits sick members of their organization and provides health tips. She also ensures that a 10-15 minute exercise is a must during their monthly meetings.
Bella shared that she also appreciated the advocacy training because “it equips us with additional knowledge and insights on effective lobbying and proper coordination.” With her dedication to everything she does and her desire to help fellow older persons, Bella became a member of the advocacy trainers team that conducts orientation on older persons’ related policies and programs at the barangay level. “It is fulfilling, and I feel happy when older persons say, ‘Thank you, we appreciate what you are doing, we now have a better understanding of our rights.”
At 86, Bella is still physically and mentally able. “I do home chores such as simple cooking, cleaning, caring for my potted plants, washing clothes, and many more. I attend community and religious activities on my own. Bella is also financially independent. “I have a pension, although it’s small, but I am managing it well. This is my main source of income. I also made sure to have life insurance and a murtuary plan so that my family will not have to worry about me.
She acknowledges that there is still much to be done for their organization and the older persons sector in their municipality. However, Bella remains optimistic that with the continued support of the COSE project and the active participation of leaders, they will slowly achieve the changes they strive for. “I am committed to working with my fellow older persons for as long as I can because I believe that as long as I am alive, there is still so much I can do. And I do all this to praise and glorify God. This is the meaning of life for me.”
By Norie Francisco-Guiyab
