Development work knows no age. As the saying goes, once a development worker, always a development worker. I guess, as long as I can still walk to where the people are and contribute to improving their lives, you will find me there.”
My name is Edna, 63, from Magarao, Camarines Sur, and I have three (3) grown-up children. My two children are already working, and the youngest just graduated from college.
I began this work right after college. Although my initial degree was in communications, my path changed when I volunteered for a community activity. That experience inspired me to shift to a Bachelor of Science in Community Development, and from that moment on, there was no turning back.
Working with the people in communities is more than just a career – it’s a way of life. In our country, where deprivation and social inequity are evident and further worsened by both natural and human-made disasters, I feel like there is always that need to extend help and contribute to making a difference and improving other people’s lives wherever possible.
For a time, however, I chose to work in academia to secure a more stable income, which became necessary as my family grew. I became a college professor, a college researcher, and a student affairs director. While this experience allowed me to develop valuable skills in education and management, contributing to both my personal and professional growth, my heart has always remained in development work.
After 18 years of academic work, with almost all my children through with their studies, I decided to return to development work at the late age of 57. Transitioning back was not easy after being away for so long. The field had evolved, and many new techniques and strategies felt unfamiliar. To adapt, I decided to retool myself, going back to school both online and in person.
In the last quarter of 2022, while working on a community-based government project, I came across an online post about the Coalition of Services of the Elderly (COSE) Project in Camarines Sur. Though I had never heard of COSE before, I still applied since the project is based within our region. I decided not to renew my government contract and instead committed full-time to COSE.
In December 2022, I officially became a Coordinator of 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 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).
With my previous experiences in leadership roles, leading a team was not entirely new to me. While every team and organization has its unique dynamics, I believe that project success depends on how well the team members collaborate and work with each other to execute the plan.
Like any other project, we encountered challenges along the way – both internal and external – that impacted the implementation of the project. It hasn’t been completely smooth sailing, but the team remains committed to delivering the expected outcomes and providing essential services to older persons in our target municipalities.
This is my first time working with older persons, and it has been an eye-opening experience. It has given me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by the sector where I belong. As an older person, I was not fully aware of the struggles many older persons go through until I joined COSE. Working with older persons is a worthy cause, and it made me realize that much more needs to be done to address their issues and concerns within the wider community.
At 63, I feel fortunate to remain physically active and productive, spared from many of the difficulties others my age face.
While the project we are implementing will conclude in December 2025, the struggles of older persons will not end with it. However, through COSE, I have found a cause that resonates deeply with me. As an older person myself, I have chosen to advocate for the rights and well-being of older persons, continuing this work even beyond the project’s completion.
By Edna Fatima Balaquiao
