THE Public Employment Service Office-Davao City (Peso-Davao City) said that the second batch of senior citizens has already started their jobs under the Senior Citizens Work Opportunity Ordinance on January 15, 2026.
“We have deployed already 70 ka senior citizens,” Shirly Duran-Sahid, labor and employment officer of Peso-Davao, said in a media interview on Monday, February 23, 2026, at SM City Davao.
Duran-Sahid added that the work for the second batch of senior citizens will end in April this year, and the third batch will follow suit, with a special job fair for them and PWDs on March 26.
She said that the first batch of 78 senior citizens under the program has already concluded their three-month work.
Meanwhile, Duran-Sahid said that 21 persons with disabilities (PWDs) were also hired, and their work is still ongoing, since their employment lasts for five months.
Expanding work opportunities
Duran-Sahid said that, at the moment, the existing companies employing the senior citizens and PWDs are Jollibee and McDonald’s Philippines. However, to further expand work opportunities, Peso is negotiating with SM and Penongs.
“Ongoing gyud ang negotiations with our partners na mag-hire sila ug senior since naa na tay first step mao man gyud atoang permi, first step would be the beginning of our journey. I hope daghan na maka-realize nga ang atoang senior naa pay purpose sa society,” she said.
(The negotiations with our partners are still ongoing for them to hire seniors. Since we already have the first step, which is usually the beginning of our journey. I hope many of our business owners will realize that seniors still have a purpose in society.)
On January 6, 2026, Councilor Diosdado Angelo Mahipus Jr. said that he hopes to expand work opportunities for senior citizens and PWDs after the success of the first batch of senior citizens employed under the program.
Mahipus said there have been indications of interest from other companies in hiring senior citizens, highlighting companies such as Chowking expressing interest in hiring senior citizens. On the personnel level, Mahipus said he has been communicating directly with business owners to encourage them to employ senior citizens.
Beneficial for senior citizens
Duran-Sahid said that the senior citizens in Davao City are very positive about the work opportunities provided to them, prompting the program to gain online momentum, highlighting how the city values senior citizens.
She said that senior citizens find the job opportunity fulfilling, citing their continued contribution to society.
To recall, Mahipus Jr. first proposed the initiative during a privilege speech on October 10, 2023. By July 9, 2024, he reported that two major fast-food chains had already committed to hiring senior citizens, while further reviews of the city’s employment programs were ongoing.
The initiative, supported by the recently approved Senior Citizens Work Opportunity Ordinance, aims to help senior citizens and persons with disabilities earn income, remain active, and feel recognized in the community.
As of 2024, the Social Welfare Operations Division estimated that Davao City has approximately 170,000 senior citizens. RGP