QC dad wants to exempt senior citizens from 'coding'

MANILA, Philippines - Senior citizens in Quezon City may soon be exempted from the “number coding” scheme implemented by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) once a proposed ordinance by a city councilor is passed.

Councilor Marvin Rillo said his office will coordinate with the MMDA and the city’s Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS), which provides auxiliary services in traffic management in the city, to facilitate the grant of the exemption.

The proposed ordinance provides that Quezon City’s elderly residents must present their valid senior citizen’s identification card issued by the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) when accosted by a traffic enforcer, provided that the senior citizen is either the passenger or the driver of the vehicle. The privilege granted by the proposed ordinance shall only apply to private vehicles.

In cases where the senior citizen is the passenger, the driver should also possess a valid driver’s license.

As provided under the proposed measure, any traffic official or enforcer violating provisions of the ordinance shall be commissioned to redeem the driver’s license of the elderly Quezon City resident.

The city government recently exempted senior citizens from paying initial parking rates in city-based establishments charging parking fees. OSCA head Lino Illera said Quezon City has about 270,000 elderly residents.