The Department of Labor and Employment – National Capital Region (DOLE-NCR) has assisted another group of senior citizens as the department disbursed 4.3M total worth of livelihood packages last February 22 at Malabon City Amphitheater.
Beneficiaries were 144 selected senior citizens from Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela City.
The livelihood assistance comprised 124 Bigasan Packages, 2 Barbeque Packages, 7 Carinderia Packages, 6 Tailoring Packages, and 5 NegoKarts.
This is the fourth batch of the joint force initiative of DOLE-NCR with the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and Nagkakaisang Samahan ng mga Senior Citizens.
As of now, there are a total of 473 senior citizens who have already received livelihood assistance from the 793 profiled beneficiaries in Metro Manila.
DOLE-NCR Assistant Regional Director Atty. Jude Thomas P. Trayvilla said this activity is part of the continuous effort of the labor department to extend its program to the elderly sector.
“Ang rationale natin, ang economic progress natin ay inclusive. So kasama natin sila [senior citizens], huwag natin sila iwanan. At makikita natin na gusto talaga nila na mag-contribute sa paglago ng ating ekonomiya,” Atty. Trayvilla said in a media interview.
He said labor department is making such efforts to promote equal employment opportunity, including the prohibition of age discrimination at work.
“Ang DOLE, we espouse and advocate doon sa non-discrimination as to employment. Andami kasing nadi-discriminate sa edad. Pero tayo ang pino-promote natin ay huwag tayo mang-dicriminate sa employment after age,” he added.
According to Glicerio Mayores Jr., a 64-year-old resident from Caloocan City, receiving such a livelihood package is a big help for someone like him who doesn’t have a main source of income due to his age and condition.
“PWD [Persons with Disability] kasi ako. Meron akong diabetis na sakit at saka hypertension. Bale 12 years na akong nagmi-maintenance ng gamot sa diabetis ko,” he shared.
Aside from this, Mayores’ condition has been difficult as he’s also suffering from the loss of his left eye in an accident.
For that reason, he’s grateful that he will no longer depend on the social pensions he’s been receiving to provide for his daily needs and medications.
“Tuwang-tuwa naman ako kasi kahit papaano malaking tulong ito para sa akin. Kasi sa mga pangangailangan ko rin, pangkain ko, [at] gamot ko. Kaya magandang biyaya ito na ibinigay sa akin,” he shared.
He is hoping for the success of the Bigasan Package granted to him and to receive continuous assistance once the business flourishes.
“Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa DOLE-NCR sa ibinigay na biyaya para sa amin na sana ay magampanan namin ito, maibenta namin para sa mga pangangailangan din, at sana mapalago namin,” Mayores expressed.# (Chris Agustin/ photos by Mark Louie Conde)
