Biba man'amko'! We celebrate our elders this month by 'Flipping the script on aging', inline with the theme. Governor Lou Leon Guerrero officially proclaimed May as Senior Citizen’s Month during a proclamation signing at the Astumbo Senior Citizen Center on Tuesday.

"Today we flip the script on aging by honoring the lives and legacies of those who have paved the way of our island’s role, culture and enduring spirit," announced the governor.

Following april's youth month that empowered our younger generation, senior citizen’s month highlights the ‘wisdom, resilience and immeasurable contributions’ of our elders. Dededo mayor Peter John Benevente gave the opening remarks during a proclamation signing, noting, "You are the foundation of our families, villages and your stories and sacrifices inspire us to do better and be better."

Department of Public Health and Social Services director Theresa Arriola says it’s all about encouraging the community to challenge stereotypes while emphasizing the active role our elderly play in our community.

"This year’s theme provides the opportunity to encourage our man'amko' to rewrite the narrative on aging through meaningful contributions to our island. It also provides our man'amko' with an opportunity to share their wisdom and experience so that they can guide our younger generations to show that aging is not a limitation, but a chance to be impactful to our community," she said.

Governor Leon Guerrero acknowledged the importance of our older generation’s wealth of wisdom, courage and experience, saying, "You have to live the life to have the wisdom to guide our younger generation. The respect we have for our culture, our values, traditions and love and kindness for each other is what we share with our younger generation. We have to. They don’t learn that in school. They learn that from interacting with us. So on the behalf of the people of Guam, I just want to say we appreciate you tremendously."

In the meantime, the department is planning several events to celebrate Senior Citizens Month.