20 March 2026
BGC, Metro Manila, Philippines — Chikicha is proud to announce that the research presentation "Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model", created by Dr. Mariza Lendez, co-founder of Chikicha.com, has been officially accepted for presentation at the 6th European Conference on Aging & Gerontology (EGen2026) organized by the International Academic Forum (IAFOR).
The accepted presentation appears under the conference track Entrepreneurship / Silver Economy and is included in the official list of accepted presentations published by the conference organizers. Dr. Lendez will present the Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model during EGen2026 in London, where researchers, educators, policymakers, and professionals from around the world will gather to exchange ideas on aging, innovation, and global societal challenges.
The Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model introduces a holistic framework for retirement that integrates purpose, healthy aging, community support, lifelong learning, entrepreneurship, and economic participation. Inspired by the Japanese concept of Ikigai and the Filipino tradition of Bayanihan, the model encourages individuals to remain active, engaged, and socially connected throughout later life.
As populations continue to age worldwide, innovative retirement models are becoming increasingly important. The Silver Economy has emerged as a major area of research, exploring how societies can improve quality of life while creating opportunities for older adults to continue contributing through meaningful work, education, volunteerism, and entrepreneurship.
Presenting at EGen2026 provides an opportunity to introduce the Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model to an international academic audience and to engage in discussions with experts working in gerontology, public policy, education, healthcare, business, and community development.
Dr. Lendez said the acceptance represents an important milestone in sharing ideas that promote healthier, more purposeful, and socially connected retirement.
"I am honored that the Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model has been accepted for presentation at EGen2026. I look forward to sharing this work with researchers and professionals from around the world while contributing to the global conversation on healthy aging, retirement innovation, and the Silver Economy."
Chikicha congratulates Dr. Lendez on this achievement and looks forward to sharing updates from the conference following her presentation in London.
Official Conference Listing
The Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model is listed on the official EGen2026 Accepted Presentations page under the Entrepreneurship / Silver Economy category.
Official conference listing:
https://egen.iafor.org/accepted-presentations/
About Dr. Mariza Lendez
Dr. Mariza Lendez is the co-founder of Chikicha.com and the creator of the Ikigai-Bayanihan Retirement Model. Her work focuses on healthy aging, longevity, retirement innovation, lifelong learning, community engagement, and sustainable approaches that promote meaningful and productive lives throughout retirement.
About Chikicha
Chikicha.com is an independent digital media platform dedicated to healthy aging, longevity, educational content, helpful facts, and thoughtful reflections. Through original articles and research-driven content, Chikicha empowers readers with practical knowledge that supports healthier, longer, and more meaningful lives.
