Senior citizens get gov’t livelihood packages for business startups

Some 300 senior citizen beneficiaries from all over Metro Manila have received livelihood packages from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), with the support of the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC), to give them a head start as active, income-earning entrepreneurs.

In a distribution activity on Friday in Paco, Manila, packages that were handed out included food carts, sewing machines, and rice for retail, among others.

The NCSC said the livelihood packages are matched with the beneficiaries’ skills and interests. In turn, the recipients are expected to grow their business.

“This is a start up [for business] so kailangan lang i-account end of the year, lumago o hindi, kasi kung lumago, dadagdagan pa nga ito eh,” said NCSC Chairman Franklin Quijano.

(This is a startup [for business] so they just need to account by the end of the year if their business grew or not, because if it did, we will provide more support.)

Lola Irene, who visited the Paco distribution center, is a 74-year-old former seamstress but feels that she is still capable of sewing more threads for curtains and blankets.

She is focused on staying active, both for her income and health: “Dati po nanahi ako sa Quezon City… Kaya pa po nagzuzumba pa po ako [to stay fit].”

(I used to be a seamstress in Quezon City… I still do Zumba [to stay fit.])

Manila City District 5 Representative Erwin Tieng said some 30 senior citizens who received livelihood packages on Friday came from his city.

“Palagi nila sinasabi, kapag senior, kailangan nagre-retire na so with the initiative of the Senior Citizen Commission and the Department of Labor and Employment, gumagawa na sila ng mga food cart and other business para makatulong sa mga senior,” Tieng said.

(Some always say, seniors need to retire. However, with the initiative of the Senior Citizen Commission and the Department of Labor and Employment, they make food carts and other businesses to help seniors.)

Aside from giving them opportunities to earn, the NCSC said the program is also meant to make senior citizens productive members of society.

“Kung ang lahat ng seniors ay magkaisa, baka puwede na natin magawa na sila ay katuwang for nation building,” Quijano said.

(If all our seniors unite, then perhaps we can enable them to be partners in nation-building.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News