MANILA, Philippines – A senior citizen or a “lola” was found still working diligently in a Jollibee branch in Hong Kong.
Finding a job can be tough for anyone. Fresh graduates, skilled workers, experienced employees, all have fair share of hardship in finding a job. But what more if you’re already a senior citizen living in a foreign land? A hardworking “Lola” recently went viral after she was seen tirelessly working at a fast food restaurant in Hong Kong.
A Facebook post of Cassey Angela Guilermo-garganta Idica-marcelino has gone viral after netizens couldn’t help but be impressed with one of Jollibee’s fast food crew. A senior citizen or a “Lola” was seen serving picking up trays and wiping tables. Guilermo shared how impressed she is that even at an old age, “Lola” still has a job. She wrote, “How old she is? A grandma still has the privilege to work decently in a known fast food as a crew!”
Guilermo also couldn’t help but lament on the limited job opportunities in the Philippines available, especially to elderly people. She explained that in Hong Kong, it doesn’t matter what your age is or even your educational background as long as you have the skills to do the job.
Guilermo wrote, “Ganito sa Hong Kong hangga’t kaya mong magtrabaho pwede ka pa. Hinde importante ang tinapos mo basta may skills at masipag ka at maintindhan mo trabaho mo. Dito sa Pilipinas hanggang ilang months ka lang pwede sa mga company kaya?”
The frustrated netizen admitted that in the Philippines, it is so hard to land a stable job and how easy you can be removed from your post. Guilermo said that she understands why so many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) still sacrifice to be away from their families for better job opportunities abroad. She explained, “Kakulangan sa trabaho at mababang pasahod. Iyan ang katotohanan dito kaya madami pa rin ang napipilitin magabroad at iiwan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.”
“Discriminated based on age, educational attainment, personality, etc.”
The post became a hot topic of discussion among netizens who wished for better job conditions and “fair” employment qualifications in the Philippines.
A netizen named Samantha Isabel also shared that even in Singapore, elderly people still find themselves with a stable job. Isabel said that once she talked to a senior citizen crew in Jollibee Singapore, the “Lola” was very much thankful for the opportunities granted to them. The Lola told Isabel, “buti nga dito tinatanggap sa kumpanya kahit ganito na edad namen.”
Several OFWs also shared their experiences with seeing senior citizens being hired to work as receptionists, crews and even janitors in different countries such as Korea, USA and Japan.
Anti-age discrimination law
One of the prevalent issues tackled by the netizens about the viral post was the “discrimination” of employers to hire based on age.
It was last year, 2017, when the Department of Labor and Employment released their implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Republic Act (RA) No 10911, or the “anti-age discrimination law.”
Under the law, no one shall be allowed to “print or publish any advertisement or notice, in any form of media, that suggests preferences, limitations, specifications, and discrimination based on age.” The law penalizes employers who hires, promotes or even forcibly lay off employees based on age.
— Sally, The Summit Express
Finding a job can be tough for anyone. Fresh graduates, skilled workers, experienced employees, all have fair share of hardship in finding a job. But what more if you’re already a senior citizen living in a foreign land? A hardworking “Lola” recently went viral after she was seen tirelessly working at a fast food restaurant in Hong Kong.
A Facebook post of Cassey Angela Guilermo-garganta Idica-marcelino has gone viral after netizens couldn’t help but be impressed with one of Jollibee’s fast food crew. A senior citizen or a “Lola” was seen serving picking up trays and wiping tables. Guilermo shared how impressed she is that even at an old age, “Lola” still has a job. She wrote, “How old she is? A grandma still has the privilege to work decently in a known fast food as a crew!”
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| Old age won’t stop this hard working senior citizen from working a decent job | Photo Courtesy: Facebook/Cassey Angela Guilermo-garganta Idica-marcelino |
Guilermo wrote, “Ganito sa Hong Kong hangga’t kaya mong magtrabaho pwede ka pa. Hinde importante ang tinapos mo basta may skills at masipag ka at maintindhan mo trabaho mo. Dito sa Pilipinas hanggang ilang months ka lang pwede sa mga company kaya?”
The frustrated netizen admitted that in the Philippines, it is so hard to land a stable job and how easy you can be removed from your post. Guilermo said that she understands why so many Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) still sacrifice to be away from their families for better job opportunities abroad. She explained, “Kakulangan sa trabaho at mababang pasahod. Iyan ang katotohanan dito kaya madami pa rin ang napipilitin magabroad at iiwan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.”
“Discriminated based on age, educational attainment, personality, etc.”
The post became a hot topic of discussion among netizens who wished for better job conditions and “fair” employment qualifications in the Philippines.
A netizen named Samantha Isabel also shared that even in Singapore, elderly people still find themselves with a stable job. Isabel said that once she talked to a senior citizen crew in Jollibee Singapore, the “Lola” was very much thankful for the opportunities granted to them. The Lola told Isabel, “buti nga dito tinatanggap sa kumpanya kahit ganito na edad namen.”
Several OFWs also shared their experiences with seeing senior citizens being hired to work as receptionists, crews and even janitors in different countries such as Korea, USA and Japan.
Anti-age discrimination law
One of the prevalent issues tackled by the netizens about the viral post was the “discrimination” of employers to hire based on age.
It was last year, 2017, when the Department of Labor and Employment released their implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the Republic Act (RA) No 10911, or the “anti-age discrimination law.”
Under the law, no one shall be allowed to “print or publish any advertisement or notice, in any form of media, that suggests preferences, limitations, specifications, and discrimination based on age.” The law penalizes employers who hires, promotes or even forcibly lay off employees based on age.
— Sally, The Summit Express
