QC MAYOR EYES MORE ELDERLY WORKERS

QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista reiterated his call for the expansion of the city government’s senior citizen volunteer program to encourage more el-

The program highlights the city government’s continuing effort to help senior citizens be productive despite their age.

Last year, 539 senior citizens were hired by the city government on a part-time basis as tutors, caregivers, values formation teachers and support service staff in the city’s different departments

Of the total, 150 retired teachers were hired to provide tutorials in different public elementary and high schools while 91 retired health workers and village nutrition scholars were hired as caregivers in different health centers.

Aside from providing assistance in health centers, the senior citizen workers were also assigned five bed- ridden and wheelchair- bound patients whom they regularly visit.

The city has about 156 senior citizen workers assigned in the City Library, Department of Public Order and Safety, Molave Youth Homes, Reception and Action Center in Payatas and the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs ( OSCA) to monitor the 8,000 social pensioners of the city.

As a token of appreciation for their volunteer work, the city provides each retiree a monthly incentive pay of P3,500.

The volunteers were each given a one- year contract by the city government subject to renewal.

The city’s social services development department oversees the implementation of the city’s senior citizen volunteer program, which began in 2003 with only 150 volunteers. The number of volunteers has grown to 600 since last year.

SM malls based in QC are also hiring senior citizens and retirees

Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).