The Antipolo City government and Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that will provide more employment opportunities to the city's senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
MOA signing for more job opportunities for senior citizens and PWDs between the Antipolo City government and Jollibee Foods Corporation
According to Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares, the partnership program between the city government and JFC was temporarily stopped due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Pansamantala itong natigil dahil sa pandemic. Pero ngayong nagbalik na ang sigla ng ating ekonomiya at natutunan na nating mamuhay sa new normal, ready na po ulit ang mga fast food companies na mag-employ ng ating mga kababayan mula sa PWD at senior citizen sectors dito sa Antipolo (This program was temporarily suspended due to the pandemic. But now that the economy is returning back to its pre-pandemic condition and we already learned how to live under the new normal, fast food companies are once again ready to employ our PWD and senior citizens here in Antipolo)," Ynares said.
"Nauna na po ang Manila at pangalawa ang Antipolo na nagkaroon ng ganitong programa. Sana hindi magtagal ay sa ibang mga bayan din para mas madaming lolo, lola, at mga kapatid nating may kapansanan ang matulungan (The city of Manila first started this kind of program with Antipolo City following suit. I am hoping that other cities will implement the same initiative to help more of our grandfathers, grandmothers, and PWD constituents)," he added.
The mayor explained that the city government will soon partner with more quick service restaurants (QSRs) and food establishments for the said program.
In January of this year, Davao City 1st district Rep. Paolo Duterte filed House Bill (HB) No.2384, or the proposed Act providing further opportunities for senior citizens as employees in private entities by granting increased incentives to private entities that employ senior citizens.
The measure seeks to amend certain provisions of Republic Act (RA) No.9994, otherwise known as the Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010.
“Age has been a constant barrier to opening employment opportunities for many of our physically and mentally able senior citizens who want to continue working to help augment the meager pension and retirement savings they have,” said Duterte, a former deputy speaker.
“To help remedy this situation, private companies should be encouraged to provide them with jobs. The private sector can benefit from the skills that senior citizens have acquired from their long years of hard work. Also, our senior citizens can continue to contribute to our post-pandemic economic growth,” added the second-term solon.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Duterte said people 60 years old and above made up 8.5 percent of the population (9.22 million individuals) as of 2020. This is higher than the 7.5 percent (7.53 million senior citizens) recorded in 2015.
The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) has projected that 14 percent of the total population will be 60 and older by 2035, and recommended that the government starts improving the social protection and well-being of elderly Filipinos.
These include instituting geriatric care programs, raising the age of retirement, and expanding employment opportunities for seniors, according to POPCOM.