Nanay Eufemia’s life had been a struggle for as long as she could remember.
At 81 years old, she had experienced more hardships than most people faced in a lifetime.
In 2021, her life took a devastating turn when she and her son, who was also a stroke survivor, were forced out of their home and eventually ended up begging for food at Pasig Palengke.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office of Pasig City stepped in and rescued them, providing them with much-needed assistance.
Tragedy however struck when Nanay Eufemia’s son passed away.
The loss was a heavy blow to her, and she was left alone once again.
After a while, she found herself back at Kanlungan sa Pasig, a shelter for individuals in crisis, including abandoned senior citizens. Despite the care and support provided by the shelter, Nanay Eufemia couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of loneliness and abandonment.
“Kaisa-isa kong anak, June 20, 2022 siya namatay. Siya mismo ang nagtawag sa DSWD Pasig para kunin kami dahil na-stroke kami pareho. Hindi na namin kayang mangupahan. Ni-rescue kami ng DSWD,” shared Nanay Eufemia.
That was when Magokoro, a newly launched facility that blended smart technology and Japanese-style caregiving, entered her life.
The facility’s innovative approach to care and its focus on providing a supportive community resonated deeply with Nanay Eufemia. As she settled into her new surroundings, she began to feel a sense of solace and renewed care that she had not experienced in a long time.
“Nagulat ako! Nag-welcome sila na parang close na kami. Hindi ko pa kilala ang mga ito, hanggang sa nagkakilala na kami. Very friendly [sila].,” she jokingly added.
Magokoro ng Pasig
In March 2025, the Pasig City government, in collaboration with INFIC Inc. and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), launched Magokoro—a pilot smart elderly care facility designed to address the city’s growing senior population.
“Our goal here is for us to take care of our elderly. We know that the number of elderly citizens every year is going up. As we project, as the population growth rate is going down, definitely the percentage of elderly and the elderly who need care and attention services will be increasing in the decades to come most likely, so we need to be prepared,” explained Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto in his statement during the opening ceremony of the Magokoro facility.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the population of Filipino senior citizens aged 60 and above has doubled over two decades, rising from 4.6 million in 2000, 9.2 million in 2020, and is expected to reach 11.6 million in 2025. Among them, approximately 73,000 reside in Pasig City.
The 200 square meters elderly care facility offers home care, day care, and short term stay services. The facility also works closely with Pasig City General Hospital (PCGH), allowing doctors to recommend admission to Magokoro for elderly patients in need of further care before returning home.
It was designed with accessibility and safety considerations. It features handrails in each bathroom and shower rooms, step-free flooring, and wheelchair accessible wash bins to ensure safety and comfort for all elderly residents.
What sets it apart, however, is its smart technology, which enables monitoring patients without compromising privacy. Instead of cameras, sensors track humidity, temperature, luminance, and movement through an integrated app. A portable emergency device allows patients to call caregivers when needed, while an under-bed sensor monitors heart rate and movement.
“We were able to reduce the workload of the care staff by using the smart devices to monitor the conditions of the clients. Even if the staff is not in the area, if something irregular happens they can go to the client immediately. And also the monitoring is done without using any cameras so that the privacy of the clients are maintained,” said INFIC Inc. Executive Officer Maiko Kasahara in an interview highlighting the importance of the added smart technology.
INFIC Inc. is a Japan based company that specializes in advanced elderly care. It started in Japan when nursing care insurance was introduced in 2000.
Maureen Oxciano, one of the nine newly trained Kaigo caregivers from the City’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO), said that the smart devices helped ease their workload and was able to focus more on taking care of the patients.
“Malaking tulong po sa aming mga caregiver kasi po yung smart technologies ang nagmo-monitor ng kanilang heart rate kasama ng humidity, temperature ng room. Hindi na po namin kailangan sumilip sa kwarto para gisingin sila. Mag-notify po sa app if may movement sa kama or sa room.
Japanese-style caregiving
Kasahara added that the facility adopts the Japanese-style of caregiving (Kaigo). It is based on self-reliant and dementia care. “It means that we will not do everything for the elderly but we will help them do things for themselves. So in our facility, we offer them instructions, to make sure that their skills for their daily life are improved.”
Oxciano said that the training centers on handling of bedridden patients, and patients with dementia.
Their daily routine would start in the morning, welcoming patients with a warm smile and welcome. After which, the residents will wash their hands and feet, do some recreational activities, take a thorough bath, interactive exercises, and a nap.
While Magokoro is still in its early stages, the facility accepts senior citizens who meet the basic eligibility criteria. Currently, barangay health centers can coordinate with the facility for resident admission and evaluation.
Recognizing the growing need for elderly care, the Pasig City government hopes to expand this pilot initiative and establish more smart facilities across barangays. Given the shortage of geriatric healthcare professionals, the city aims to maximize INFIC’s smart technologies to improve efficiency and accessibility.
“We would also make sure that we will scale this up. So that we will be able to take care, not just one or 100 elderly, but all the elderly in the City of Pasig,” Mayor Sotto affirmed. (JVD/PIA-NCR)
