There’s hope for Cebu city’s elderly residents to still secure employment if the Cebu City Council approves a draft ordinance requiring businesses not to turn away applicants who are over 60 years old.
The proposed measure is under study by the committee on laws.
Tax incentives will be given to establishments that employ senior citizens. Under the proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Gerardo Carillo, tax credits equal to two percent of an establishment’s annual tax due to the city would be extended by the city government.
“No business establishment shall refuse to entertain the application of any senior citizen or deny the hiring of the same due to their advance age if the work available can still be clearly and ably performed by the said applicant,” it said.
Violators would risk cancellation of their business permits especially if their is “continuous refusal” to hire senior citizens, said the proposal.
In June, Councilor Dave Tumulak also filed a a draft ordinance asking government and the private sector in the city to hire senior citizens.
List of vacancies
Unlike Carillo’s ordinance, Tumulak’s version leaves the hiring of senior citizens to the discretion of the establishment.
His measure is also under study.
Tumulak said he would review his proposal to see if it could be merged with Carillo’s new measure.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama expressed support for the initiative but said the provisions have to studied carefully.
Carillo said many senior citizens remain physically and mentally fit to work.
“Most of the members of this sector are still willing to work if given the opportunity by the business sector,” said the ordinance.
If the ordinance is approved, business establishments in the city have to give to the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) a list of vajob cancies that elders could fill in.
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