The city government of Manila and the Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) forged on Tuesday, Jan. 31, a new partnership opening more employment opportunities to the city's senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

In a set of photos posted on its officials Facebook page, the Manila Public Information Office (PIO) featured the MOA signing between the Manila city government represented by Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson and officials from JFC and its chains represented by Chowking Operations Director Marife Dizon, Greenwich Operations Director Jonathan Pidlaoan, Jollibee Area Manager Asdel Kent Aboloc, and Burger King Area Manager Erralyn Pascual.

According the PIO, the MOA allows the different fast food chains of JFC to hire senior citizens and 17 PWDs through the city's Public Employment Service Office (PESO-Manila).

In January, 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 aged 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), for its part, has projected that 14 percent of the total population will be 60 and older by 2035, and recommended that the government start 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.

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