Jollibee Group, Manila LGU partner anew to offer jobs for senior citizens, PWDs Quezon town is 2022 model LGU for elderly program in Region 4A

By Belinda Otordoz

LUCENA CITY—Sampaloc town in Quezon was named the model local government unit (LGU) for 2022 for the diligent implementation of the social pension fund for senior citizens in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) or Region 4A.

Of the town’s 1,800 registered senior citizens, 1,632 receive a monthly pension of P500.

THE Jollibee Group recently announced the resumption of its inclusive employment program to hire senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD) in Manila after renewing its partnership with the city government of Manila.

T he partnership is consistent with Jollibee Group’s commitment to provide equal employment opportunities to different sectors, while promoting and practicing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace.

Jollibee Group will hire 28 senior citizens and 17 PWDs as customer relations staff across the Manila branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Burger King through the city’s Public Employment Service Office (PESO). Manila PESO will screen and determine qualified candidates before endorsing them to the company. Applicants must also secure a medical clearance from the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, the accredited hospital for this program.

We started this program in 2019 with the Manila LGU. Working on this program in the past few years have allowed us to see how our elderly and differently abled individuals have appreciated the opportunity to find gainful employment.

The Jollibee Group continues to support this initiative of the Manila LGU, and we have been very fortunate to have a partner that shares the same desire and passion as the company in looking after the interest of our elderly and PWDs,” said Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group Vice President and Head for Human Resources-Philippines and Global Organization, Leadership & Culture.

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We look forward to forging more partnerships with other LGUs so we can improve more lives and find reliable staff who can join us in our mission to share the joy of eating with everyone,” Angeles added.

T he signing of the new memorandum of agreement held on January 31 was attended by Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, Vice Mayor Yul Servo Nieto, and Secretary to the Mayor Atty. Marlon Lacson, as well as officials from Jollibee Group represented by Public Affairs AVP Atty. Raul Academia and Philippine Region Human Resources Director Anna Prado.

Interested applicants can get more information on this employment program from the Manila Department of Social Welfare and the Office of Senior Citizen’s Affairs.

Back in 2019, Jollibee Group was the first restaurant company in the Philippines to partner with the Manila LGU in providing jobs to over a hundred qualified senior citizens and PWDs in the combined 39 branches of Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, and Greenwich in Manila. Besides Manila, Jollibee Group also partnered with the LGUs of Antipolo and Pasay in 2019 to implement the same inclusive employment program.

Those who receive other social pensions, like from the Social Security System, are no longer qualified for the LGU benefit.

An additional P200 is given during the birthday month of the senior citizen.

Mayor Angelo Devanadera, accompanied by Municipal Social Welfare and Development officer Mylene

By Tatyana Monnay

FEINSTEIN,

DIANNE the old- est member of the US Senate at age 89, isn’t running for reelection in 2024, but there are many octogenarians who will still grace the halls of Congress after she leaves.

T here are 21 members of the Silent Generation—born between 1928 and 1945—in the House and eight in the Senate, according to the Pew Research Center. Baby Boomers, born after World War II, dominate both chambers, making up two-thirds of the Senate and nearly 45 percent of the House.

T he House is trending younger— with an average age of 57.9 years, down from 58.9 years in the two-year Congress that adjourned last month, according to Pew. That’s thanks in part to 26-year-old Democrat Maxwell Frost, the first member of Gen Z elected to Congress.

But the Senate continues to age, with a median age this year of 65.3 years, up from 64.8 in the 117th Congress, 63.6 in the 116th and 62.4 in the 115th.

SAMPALOC

Gariguez, received the award handed out by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Tagaytay City on Wednesday.

In a phone interview on Sunday, Gariguez said the town was recognized as it achieved a 100-percent implementation of the social pension fund program in all four quarters last year.

“We promptly downloaded the fund from the national office allocated for the social pension of our senior citizens and immediately disbursed them, according to the schedule given to us,” said Gariguez.

Gariguez attributed the recognition to the cooperation displayed by all beneficiaries as they completed their requirements.

She also clarified that a senior citizen who wants to receive the grant need not be a registered voter of the town to be included in the program. PNA