The city government of Makati shoulders 25 percent of the free movie tickets to its senior citizens and residents with disabilities. FILE PHOTO
Makati City paid a total of P39.5 million to its five partner cinemas in 2018 for free movie tickets issued to its senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWD).
Mayor Abby Binay said the perk was made available to 82,035 elderly citizens and 9,896 registered PWD of Makati.
“We have sustained this program since 1997 because of the joy it has given to thousands of senior Makatizens, which is priceless,” Mayor Abby said.
“Watching free movies has become a favorite hobby among them, keeping them in touch with friends and making them feel young at heart,” she added.
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The elderly and PWD “Makatizens” can watch free movies in any of the cinema-partners in Glorietta and Greenbelt, Century Mall, Power Plant Mall, Cash and Carry and Waltermart.
The amount constitutes the 25-percent share of the city government in the cost of movie tickets used under the program implemented in partnership with cinema owners in the city.
The free movie benefit for the elderly started in 1997 with the passage of City Ordinance 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 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 PWD of Makati through the enactment of City Ordinance 2006-066.
Elderly residents also receive cash gift, free birthday and golden wedding anniversary cakes and free medicines under the BLU Card Program.
In November last year, Mayor Abby proposed to grant an annual P10,000 cash gift to the elderly aged 90-99 years old.
The said 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 Abby’s term.
The city government provided burial assistance to the families of 1,010 Blu Card members who passed away from January to December 2018.
