Capitol Building and Cebu City Hall Building (L-R)
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — To empower able and willing elderly citizens, the Cebu Provincial Government and Cebu City have announced plans to create employment opportunities for senior citizens, through workforce inclusion programs, training initiatives, and partnerships with various sectors.
During the inauguration of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) Central Visayas office yesterday, August 1, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival revealed to come up with an ordinance mandating that one to three percent of employees in institutions within the city shall be senior citizens, provided they are physically able and willing to work.
Meanwhile, through the concluded meeting with NCSC-7 this week, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro committed to hiring senior citizens at the Capitol and in the soon-to-open satellite office in Balamban.
She emphasized the importance of giving them a chance to continue contributing to society in a dignified and sustainable way.
NCSC Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, backed the initiatives. She highlighted that seniors will undergo retraining and retooling through TESDA, particularly in industries that are less physically demanding and encourage inter-generational collaboration.
Loreche said that a pilot project with the Department of Tourism will soon be launched in Intramuros, Manila, focusing on elderly citizens as tour guides.
“We are waiting for meetings here in Central Visayas in hotels and resorts associations, the business sectors, and we want to develop that kind of relationship here,” she said.
She stressed the need for programs that promote inclusivity, pointing out that many seniors still feel they have something to offer.
Currently, discussions are underway with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to determine if senior citizen hires can receive the same benefits as regular employees.
Loreche also mentioned planned talks with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on offering tax incentives to businesses employing seniors.
The Government Service Insurance System and Social Security Service benefits may not apply to these older workers due to age restrictions in existing laws, but the aim, Loreche said, is to give seniors the chance to earn again and reduce financial dependence.
NCSC VII Director Jocelyn Tabotabo shared that there are roughly 800,000 senior citizens in Central Visayas, with 300,000 to 400,000 residing in Cebu Province alone.
She confirmed that Baricuatro promised to hire elderly workers both in the Capitol and the Balamban satellite office on a three-hour per day basis.
“Retired teachers, for example, still have so much to offer,” Tabotabo said.
In Cebu City, Archival noted the city has around 110,000 senior citizens. He said the local government needs at least P450 million to provide sufficient support, particularly for an additional 30,000 seniors recently identified.
Cebu Provincial Board Member Julius Anthony Corominas, who chairs the Committee on Senior Citizens, also announced efforts to institutionalize Senior Citizen Care Centers.
“Atong ipaninguha nga ang matag lolo ug lolo sa kasinatian makadawat sa hustong serbisyo, proteksyon, ug oportunidad nga mutubo bisan sa edad,” he said.
The NCSC VII inauguration coincided with the agency’s 6th anniversary and was held at the NCSC Building within the Capitol Compound in Cebu City.
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting was led by Archival, Corominas, Tabotabo, Loreche.
The event drew participation from key officials including Mandaue City Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Annabeth Cuizon, DSWD-7 Director Shalaine Lucero, and DOH-7 Assistant Director Dr. Jonathan Neil Erasmo.
| Written by Jonnavie Villa/JG
