The Makati City government paid a total P39.5 million to its five-partner cinemas for the free movie tickets given last year to 82,035 senior citizens and 9,896 persons with disability in the city.
“We have sustained this program since 1997 because of the joy it has given to thousands of senior Makatizens, which is priceless. Watching free movies has become a favorite hobby among them, keeping them in touch with friends and making them feel young at heart,” Mayor Abigail Binay said.
The elderly and PWD residents can watch free movies at any of the cinema-partners in Glorietta and Greenbelt, Century Mall, Power Plant Mall, Cash and Carry, and Waltermart.
City chief accountant William Dayrit said of the P39.5 million paid to five cinema partners, P36 million went to movie tickets of senior citizens and almost P3.5 million to movie tickets of PWDs.
The amounts constitute the 25-percent share of the city government in the cost of movie tickets used under the program, which is being implemented in partnership with cinema owners in the city.
The free movies benefit for the elderly started in 1997 with the passage of City Ordinance No. 97-085, appropriating P500,000 as the 25-percent share of the city in cinema admission costs for senior citizens.
The program was institutionalized three years later through City Ordinance No. 2001-035 granting the inclusion of appropriations in the annual City Executive Budget for its continuous implementation in succeeding years.
In 2006, the perk was also granted to registered PWDs of Makati through the enactment of City Ordinance No. 2006-066.
Meanwhile, senior citizens also receive cash gift, free birthday and golden wedding anniversary cakes, and free medicines under the BLU Card Program.
In November last year, Binay proposed to grant an annual P10,000 cash gift to elderly Makatizens aged 90-99 years old.
The cash gift will continue to be given to them when they reach their 101st birthday, and onward for as long as they live. The proposal is still awaiting the approval of the City Council.
In 2018, six centenarians were awarded with P100,000 cash gift bringing the total to 51 awardees since 2012.
Of these, 26 were awarded under Mayor Binay’s term.
The city government provided burial assistance to the families of 1,010 Blu Card members who passed away from January to December last year.
For the same period, some 4,097 senioritos and senioritas were vaccinated against influenza, while 2,437 seniors were vaccinated against pneumonia. Thousands have also enjoyed free salon and spa services made available at SM Felicidad Sy Center and at the Comembo Multipurpose Center.
Around 400 able-bodied seniors also participated in Lakbay Saya tours in Baguio City, Bataan, and Ilocos.
On the other hand, a total of 435 mobility devices had been distributed to indigent PWDs from January to December last year.
