No such thing as too much pampering
IF you are in a mall in Makati especially on weekends and you happen to see a group of senior citizens talking loudly, don’t worry. They are not arguing among themselves. They just need to raise their voices so they can hear each other. It comes with aging, sad to say. In jest, they refer to themselves as members of a new group called Ha, as in “Ha? What did you just say?”
And whenever Makati’s seniors congregate in a mall, the most likely topic for discussion would be: which movie will we see first?
Since 1997, Makati’s senior citizens have been enjoying the privilege of watching movies for free in all Makati cinemas. The city government pays for the movie tickets of our over 79,000 seniors, with P35 million allocated for this year. There are no restrictions, no specified screening days or screening hours. They can enter cinemas any day, any screening hour, with no limit as to the number of movies they can watch in a day. Movie day has become a “barkada day” for seniors, an opportunity for them to meet up with friends, chat, eat, relax, and see a movie, or several movies for that matter. For senior couples, movie time is also private time. What could be more romantic than taking your wife to a movie, every day?
Aside from free movies, Makati extends other opportunities for seniors to socialize among themselves and with seniors from other localities.
The “Lakbay Saya nina Lolo’t Lola” program gives our senior citizens the chance to travel to popular spots and historical sites in Metro Manila and other parts of the country, all for free, including meals and lodging. During their tours, they are accompanied by staff from the city Social Welfare Department and the Health Department.
During these visits, Makati’s seniors also get to interact with senior citizens of the places they are visiting. Our seniors are without a doubt proud to talk about Makati and wear their citizenship with pride. For years, they have served as Makati’s ambassadors of goodwill.
The city government also began hosting welcome parties for residents who turned 60, and continue to deliver birthday cakes and golden wedding anniversary cakes for couples.
The pampering also includes free haircut, massage, and foot spa during the twice-monthly Lingkod Bayan Caravans of the city government. Seniors are also exempted from the number coding scheme, and for seniors in need, the city provides free mobility aids like wheelchairs and walkers.
Recently, the city leadership decided to provide scholarships for senior citizens who wish to pursue higher education, inspired by the stories of two senior Makatizens who did not let their age get in the way of achieving their dreams.
Armando Buhay Albes, Sr., a 78-yearold resident of barangay West Rembo, finished his degree in A.B. Political Science, major in Local Government Administration, at the University of Makati (UMak) while 79-year-old Salvacion Flores Nacario, also residing at West Rembo, graduated from junior high at Fort Bonifacio High School.
The Makati City Council approved an ordinance granting free tuition to senior citizens aged 70 and above who wish to pursue a college or master’s degree at UMak, while two other ordinances grant incentives to seniors aged 60 and above who will graduate from any public senior high school in the city, or from college or graduate school at UMak.
Aside from the pampering, the city also attends to the more pressing needs of our elderly. Our seniors in Makati are entitled to free medicines and this year the city government increased the program’s budget from P600 million to P900 million. This July, the Makati Action Center (MAC) began door-to-door deliveries of free maintenance medicines and vitamins to 4,099 senior citizens aged 70 years and older, as well as bed-ridden seniors.
Aside from free medicines and vitamins, senior citizens, as Yellow Card beneficiaries, enjoy free outpatient consultations and subsidized hospitalization for emergency and in-patient care at the premiere city-run Ospital ng Makati.
Makati also extends financial assistance to our senior citizens. In 2002, the city government started its Blu Card Program where financial assistance is extended to the families of elderly residents who have passed on. Later, we would expand the benefits to include cash gifts.
The seniors I have talked to are thankful for the cash gifts from the city. Their pensions are not enough for their needs and with the city government providing them with free medicines and taking care of their hospitalization and other medical needs, the cash gifts go to food and utilities.
From P2,000, Makati’s seniors aged 60-69 now receive P3,000. The city now gives P4,000 for those 70-79 years old and P5,000 for citizens aged 80 years old and above. The cash gift is given in two equal installments, in June and December.
There are those who say we pamper our senior citizens too much. I beg to disagree. The way we care for our elderly reflects our values. In addition to benefits extended by national law, the Makati city governent has been rolling out since the 1990s exclusive benefits for our senior citizens, whom we adorably call our “seniorito” and “seniorita” citizens. We make no excuses for pampering our elderly. They deserve it. It is Makati’s gesture of gratitude for their contributions to the city during their younger years. And we are glad that other local governments are extending some of the benefits which we started in Makati to their elderly citizens.
In my next column, I will discuss Makati’s way of honoring centenarians and share their secrets for longevity.