Two seniors are not letting their age become a hindrance when it comes to work.
Fast food chain KFC Philippines featured Tatay Roberto and Nanay Chit from their Senior Crew Hiring Program, who they said work part-time to assist regular crew members during the peak dining hours.
Tatay Roberto is a 77-year-old former jeepney driver at the Recto branch, while Nanay Chit is a 70-year-old part-timer at the Pureza branch.
According to Roberto, the job gives him a sense of self-fulfillment since he is able to earn money for his own needs and for his family.
“Iyong paghahanap-buhay ko rito sa KFC ay malaking bagay. Nakakapagbigay pa ako ng pagkain sa bahay kahit may edad na ako. Masaya ako,” he was quoted as saying in a report.
Chit, meanwhile, said that she enjoys being a service crew member, including the regular visits of her family to see her assisting customers with her maternal appeal.
“Masaya po sila kasi nalilibang ako,” she shared.
The fast food chain also shared a link where interested part-time senior applicants can apply.
According to the company, the initiative is in line with their thrust to “give equal opportunities” to Filipinos, regardless of their age and gender.
“KFC commits to the journey of making a more comfortable and safe dining experience for its community and providing additional income to those qualified individuals,” the fast food chain said.
In the Philippines, people ages 60 years old and above are considered senior citizens.
Some workplaces oblige them to retire, while others have certain age requirements preventing them from working.
Last year, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan urged the private sector to hire seniors and provide them with work opportunities that fit their background.
His call came after the Philippine Statistics Authority released the results of a labor force survey that showed retired senior citizens were being forced to look for jobs because of the need for a bigger family income to meet the unabated increase in consumer prices.
