Makati Mayor Abby Binay announced the highly anticipated return of free movies for some 82,617 senior citizens in the city who are Blu card members and Makatizen Virtual Card holders.
During the relaunch of the program at Glorietta 4 on Thursday, the mayor said the city had to temporarily halt the free movies program at the height of the pandemic in 2020 to prioritize the safety and well being of senior citizens.
“The past years have been challenging for everyone, particularly our senior citizens who were among the most vulnerable during the health crisis. By reinstating this initiative, we aim to provide them with a much-needed avenue for entertainment, joy, and social engagement,” she said.
With the program’s revival, Mayor Abby said the elderly can now watch movies again for free in Glorietta, Greenbelt, and Circuit Makati, three times a day for the first and second screenings.
She said senior citizens who are active Blu Card members and Makatizen Card holders only need to download their Makatizen Virtual Card at https://mymakatizencard.ph/virtualcard and have their Makatizen Virtual Card QR codes scanned by cinema partners to avail themselves of the free cinema tickets.
Mayor Abby said the city plans to include persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the program this year and expand the number of cinema partners to include Power Plant Mall and Walter Mart.
The mayor also said Blu Card holders will receive their mid-year cash gift this month directly from their GCash accounts.
Under the Blu Card program, registered senior citizens aged 60 to 69 are eligible for P3,000, distributed in two equal installments in June and December. Those aged 70 to 79 receive P4,000, while individuals between 80 and 89 years old get P5,000 each year, also in two tranches.
In 2019, the City Council approved City Ordinance No. 2019-A-023, which grants P10,000 to Blu cardholders aged 90 to 99, as well as those who are 101 years and older. Since 2012, Makati has given P100,000 to qualified residents who have reached 100 years of age.
