Bacolod Offers More Senior Job Opportunities vs. Iloilo [Flashback* 09.18.2014]

Bacolod City McDonalds mgr

My asawa and I recently visited Bacolod, the “City of Smiles” to celebrate my spouse’s upcoming birthday. During the course of our sojourn, I came to the conclusion that Bacolod offers more senior job opportunities vs. Iloilo, where we do the bulk of our shopping. In over five years of living in the Philippines I have never encountered anyone but young Pinays or Pinoys who held management positions in any of the major chains stores or franchise fast food outlets, such as McDonald’s, while in Iloilo City.

Bacolod City McDonald's mgr

 

Now I certainly have nothing against young people holding management positions but as an old geezer myself, I was happy to see the Bacolod McDonald’s manager at this outlet. That’s him in the picture above, standing next to a helpful trainee on the left, and “The Kano,” on his right.

The Filipina trainee was cleaning tables as we waited for our breakfast and I asked her what jeepney we could catch to the new Ayala Mall located outside of “The City of Smiles.” She gave me the necessary information and when I spied her boss behind the counter, I whispered to the cute Filipina: “Is that your manager? He’s kind of old, huh?” She smiled and assured me that the gentleman was indeed the boss. I explained to her that I was surprised to see an older person in charge because in Iloilo City we have never seen an older person in a management position.

Now the gentleman is by no means even close to my age, but I told him I was pleased to see someone of a more “mature”age in a management position.  He gladly posed for this picture and I requested the pretty pinay pose with us. He objected to the young lady being in the photo as she was not in a proper uniform being a trainee but after I advised him how helpful she had been, he allowed her to be in the photo with us. An extremely friendly man who warmly greeted my wife and I when we arrived for breakfast the next day.

 

mcdonalds in bacolod city

 

Back in August 2012, over two years ago, I did a post about age discrimination in the Philippines. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, despite a new proposed bill against age discrimination, co-sponsored by Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Pia Cayetano, nothing has changed regarding the rampant bias against the hiring of senior citizens in the archipelago.

Cayetano, in her own sponsorship speech, noted that age discrimination is one of the biggest barriers to employment in this country.

β€œAnd yet there is no law to prohibit it. There is none in our Labor Code and until recently, it was not even on the policy radar screen of the Department of Labor and Employment,” she added. (Source: philSTAR.com)

 

sm senior staff in bacolod

 

But at least some localities, such as Bacolod City, are taking matters into their own hands and making a difference. SM City in Bacolod, for example.

I was even more amazed when my asawa and I took a short jeepney ride to the Bacolod SM City and saw the SM Senior Citizen Staff on duty. I spoke to one of the gentlemen, a retired police officer, and expressed my opinion that Bacolod City is far more progressive than Iloilo, in regards to the employment of older people.

 

senior citizen in bacolod city

 

And a later walk through downtown Bacolod City also revealed that the city has its share of older vendors, also, as shown in the picture above featuring a lola, grandma, setting up shop on a sidewalk.  In my personal opinion and evidenced by the amount of seniors I witnessed employed at various outlets, Bacolod offers more senior job opportunities vs. Iloilo, which is certainly a step in the right direction as it applies to age discrimination in the Philippines. I sincerely hope that a bill can be passed on the national level, and if passed, be strictly enforced.

8 thoughts on “Bacolod Offers More Senior Job Opportunities vs. Iloilo [Flashback* 09.18.2014]

  1. Dave,
    Unfortunately Bacolad is the exception. I think seniors are more reliable and have a better work ethic in most cases. I really don’t think we will see it widespread during our lifetime because change does not come fast here.

    1. Dave, I wonder if it has anything to do with all the young people living in university towns like Manila, Cebu and Iloilo. Perhaps there is a lower proportion of young people in Bacolod, so more jobs are available for older folks???

  2. Dave,

    For a culture that holds there elders is such high regards, I have always found it so odd that they put them out to pasture at 35-40 years old, I would think they would realize that maturity and experience count for so much more, rather than just young and a college degree.

    My wife experienced this, she is a registered nurse, but after about age 35 she was no able to find a nursing job there, so she rented and opened a pretty successful eatery, right across the street from a university, and gave room and board to some young ladies attending college, in exchange for working at her eatery a few hours a day. All of these girls she said could not afford to have gone to college without her and her families help. Her brothers each sponsored some of the girls all throughout there college years (by Filipino standards here family are pretty well off, and they share there success with others).

    I really do wish that the age discrimination there, would change . To only be able ,if your lucky, to be able to work for 15-20 years , and then no longer be employable is, pretty sad.

    So many things there that I dont think I will ever understand as to why they are the way they are, but then I guess most foreigners think that also at times, its all just the cultures I guess.

    How much is a quarter-pounder or Big-Mac now days?

    1. The eatery was before I met her.

      130p, that is really cheap for an combo meal. I havent been to a McD’s for months, but I think the last time I was there, a Big Mac or a 1/4pounder sandwich alone was close to $4.00, and a meal was over $7.00 I think, but not sure. Have been wanting a cheeseburger recently, so may have to stop at one in the near future. I know a sandwhich, fries and med. drink at Arbys is getting close to $9.00, the prices here on everything have gone way up the last couple years especially, partly because of the big drought here.

      I havent checked the exchange rate either for quite some time, but its sounds a little better at 44.57p. Your welcome Dave, although I am not sure what your thanking for, but if its something good, I will take credit for it, hahaha.

  3. Nice shirt dave ,youre like lemmy from Motorhead!!nice article sir,if you had gone to Lopues dept store outlets (one branch just near to check inn pension) there are matured employees working also and lopues is one of the pioneer stores in bacolod since 1980’s,when at that time SM and Gaisano were not around yet.
    You look great and you lost some weight by the way:-)

  4. Youll be ok Dave, with pain meds regularly & I think you are drinking more water,fruits and no fatty/salty foods since your previous attacks hopefully it will pass out in the urine,sad part is you have to cut the smbs,red horse & sodas for a while πŸ™
    A once a month check up to the doctor would be a great help for updates πŸ™‚

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