IN recent months, I have seen businesses, specifically restaurants, earning praise on social media for giving work opportunities to senior citizens. This practice caught the attention of others in the food service industry and followed suit, now slowly becoming a trend.

On the other hand, in September 2023, I came across a news article about a senate bill proposing to lower the optional retirement age of government workers to 56.

In the Philippines, like in most, if not all, countries, the retirement age is usually between 60 and 65 years old, but it may also be as young as 50 and as old as 68 or above, depending on several factors such as the nature of work, position or role in the organization, agreement between management and union, or based on company policy.

Compulsory or mandatory retirement age must also be distinguished from optional retirement age when crafting company policies. Some organizations allow an optional retirement age of 50 years old, provided employees have served for "x" years.

In the Philippine National Police, the compulsory retirement age for uniformed personnel is 56. In one local airline in the Philippines, the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots is 67, provided employees are still physically and mentally fit to work. This airline policy is in accordance with the guidelines set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.

Another thing to consider when dealing with age in employment is Republic Act 10911, or the "Anti-Age Discrimination in Employment Act." This law specifically prohibits the employer from printing or publishing any employment notice or advertisement stating a preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination of age; requiring applicants to declare their age or birth date during the application process; declining an applicant on the sole basis of age; discriminating an employee in terms of compensation, terms or privileges of employment based on their age; forcibly laying off an employee because of old age; or imposing early retirement using age as a basis.

Now, imagine this. You are already 59 years old, still sharp and strong, but the mandatory retirement age in your organization is 60, which means you are about to retire soon. You are still capable of working and probably the best in your class, but because of the mandatory retirement age, you are now barred from working in the organization where you likely spent most of your life. Of course, the mood would be different if you were looking forward to your retirement.

This is the plight of older workers in the country. I am writing this to put a face to this group of people who have gone beyond their prime working age but are still economically active.

The global population of older individuals is increasing rapidly. In 2019, the world had about 700 million people ages 65 and older. This number is expected to double, reaching approximately 1.5 billion by 2050.

In the Philippines, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), elderly persons (55 years old and over) will rise from 18.1 percent in 2020 to 24.7 percent in 2040, and "by 2035, the number of persons aged 55 years old and over will overtake those in the age group 15 to 24 years old."

While there is a split in the medical community regarding the maximum human lifespan, with some experts suggesting it could reach up to 140 years, there is a general agreement that more people will live to be centenarians or beyond. The rapid increase in the number of older people in the world is mainly because of expeditious advances in the field of medicine, which have reduced infant mortality, controlled several diseases, and increased the average human life span.

In the Philippines, future projections indicate a longer lifespan for women compared to men. Women's life expectancy is expected to rise to 78.34, while men will have a slower increase to 73.01. According to the PSA, these statistics suggest that women may live and potentially work for an average of five to six years longer than men.

Given this, the employment and employability of older workers in our country must be seriously studied. Providing discounts on basic commodities to senior citizens is beneficial. However, it is equally important to offer them further opportunities, such as employment options, should they choose to remain active in the workforce.

Cholo Javier is a part-time faculty of the Department of Decision Sciences and Innovation and a Doctor of Business Administration student at De La Salle University. He is also the Associate Dean of Assumption College San Lorenzo. His email address is cholo.javier@dlsu.edu.ph