15/09/2025
๐๐๐ฏ๐๐จ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐๐ฌ
The City Government of Davao has forged partnerships with two major fast food chains to create new employment opportunities for senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs).
Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) were signed to formally integrate them into the workforce of the said establishments.
The initiative supports the implementation of the city's Senior Citizens Job Opportunity Ordinance, authored by City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Jr., which aims to provide jobs for able senior citizens.
The first agreement, signed with the Golden Arches Development Corporation (the master franchisee of McDonald's in the Philippines) on September 9, pledges to generate at least 110 job openings for senior citizens.
In a separate signing event on September 11, the City Government secured an agreement with the Jollibee Group for a total of 87 job opportunities for both senior citizens and PWDs.
Acting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte emphasized that these partnerships address the expressed desire of many seniors to remain in the workforce.
โEvery time pag pumupunta ako ng mga barangay โฆ kadalasan diyan may mga senior citizen na lumalapit. Usually either may problema yan sa health or may iba kasing mga senior na gusto paโng magtrabaho (Every time I visit the 182 barangays in the city, there are senior citizens who approach meโeither they have health-related problems or they are seeking employment),โ he said.
โMay mga nakakasalubong tayo na mga senior citizens, ako mostly marami talaga na kung may chance lang daw sila na magtrabaho, magtatrabaho talaga sila (I meet a lot of senior citizens who tell me that if only have a chance to work, they would definitely work),โ Duterte added.
Duterte expressed gratitude to Golden Arches Development Corporation and the Jollibee Group for partnering with the City Government to provide senior citizens and PWDs with job opportunities.
โDako kaayo ni siya nga butang gโyud para sa atoang mga senior citizen and PWD because the governmentโs job is to take care of our citizens, especially the marginalized sector โฆ itโs a big help (This is a big deal and a big help to our senior citizens and PWDs because it is the governmentโs job to take care of our citizens, especially the marginalized sector),โ he said.
Lorenzo Borja, Head of the Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA), clarified that the program is for seniors who are both able and interested in working.
โAng buot pasabot sa abled, bisaโg lampas na kaโg 70 years old basta qualified ka sa ilahang requirement โฆ buot pasabot ana naa pa siyaโy kakayanan mutrabaho (Abled means that even if you are beyond 70 years old, as long as you can still carry out your tasks and are qualified to work, then you may avail of this program),โ he said.
He added that priority will be given to senior citizens and PWDs with no source of income. Applications will be assessed by the Department of Labor and Employment Region XI (DOLE-XI) and the cityโs Public Employment Service Office (PESO-Davao).
The signing ceremonies were attended by members of the city council, and heads of relevant city offices. Representatives from the partner-corporations were also present.
Duterte expressed hope that more companies would follow the example set by Golden Arches and the Jollibee Group to provide Dabawenyos with equal employment opportunities. #
