New Denia residence, vital for meeting the growing demand for public places. Credit: Hospital Dénia Marina Salud Facebook
Residents of the Costa Blanca are preparing to take to the streets once again to demand what they see as a fundamental right: publicly funded social services that are dignified, accessible, and tailored to the needs of the region. The citizen platform Som Marina Alta has called a demonstration for Friday November 28 in Gata de Gorgos to demand the completion of planned senior centres and that their management remains under public control.
“The situation is unsustainable,” the group warns. “The Gata day centre is practically finished, yet the PP government intends to hand over its management to a private company, turning a crucial public service into a business venture. Meanwhile, the new Dénia residence, vital for meeting the growing demand for public places, has been stalled for years with no firm date or commitment from the Consell.”
Families face an impossible burden
According to Som Marina Alta, the issue affects families across the region directly. “There is a lack of infrastructure, insufficient public support, and a model that forces many people either to pay unaffordable fees at private centres or take on care responsibilities themselves,” the platform explains.
The Convivint Plan was originally designed to provide a comprehensive social services network across the Marina Alta, including day centres, residential facilities, and specialised resources. However, under the current PP administration, many projects have been halted, left invisible, or entirely forgotten, the platform laments.
Key facilities at risk
Key facilities such as the Gata day centre, the Pedreguer residence, the day centres in Calpe and Jalon, as well as Denia’s CEEM and CRIS centres, are all essential to ensure that older adults and dependent people receive dignified and accessible care. Without them, the burden falls on families, who may have to sacrifice working hours, pay for private services, or cope with situations that are simply impossible to manage alone.
A call for public action
In response to this ongoing neglect, Som Marina Alta is calling on all residents, associations, groups, and organisations across the region to join the demonstration on 28 November at 7pm in Gata de Gorgos. The platform stresses that social services should not be dictated by profit or private interests; they must remain public, high-quality, and legally guaranteed.
Community support expected
The platform is confident in receiving broad community support. “The Marina Alta has previously shown it can defend public healthcare, and now it is ready to raise its voice again. On November 28, the message will be clear: public social services are a right, and the dignity of our people is non-negotiable,” they declare.
The demonstration is expected to unite citizens concerned about the future of social care in the region, sending a strong signal to policymakers that public welfare cannot be sidelined in favour of private profit. For many in the Costa Blanca, this is more than a protest — it is a fight for the right to age with dignity and to ensure that families are not left to carry the weight of social care alone.