With no Makati Blu Card access, what benefits will EMBO elderly lose in 2024?

MANILA, Philippines – Senior citizens residing in the Enlisted Men’s Barrios (EMBO) have lost access to Makati City government programs starting January 1, 2024.

The Makati City government announced on Tuesday, January 2, that EMBO elderly can no longer use their Blu Card for access to the city’s benefits and services after the Supreme Court ruled that the EMBO barangays are under Taguig’s jurisdiction.

The Makati City government, however, said that this card can still be used as a valid ID and debit card.

Under the elderly program of Makati, Blu Card holders are entitled to the following cash incentives based on their age bracket:

60 to 69 years old – P3,000
70 to 79 years old – P4,000
80 to 89 years old – P5,000
90 to 99 years old – P10,000

Blu Card holders can also enjoy watching movies for free in some malls in the city such as in Glorietta, Greenbelt, and Circuit Makati. They can avail of this benefit three times a day for the first and second screenings.

Aside from these incentives, the Makati elderly also receive birthday cakes, grocery items, and maintenance medicine from the city government.

In 2023, at least 67,097 senior citizens benefitted from Makati’s free medicine program.

To qualify as a Blu Card holder, an individual should be 60 years old and above, a registered voter in the city, and a bonafide Makati resident.

Prior to the 2023 barangay elections, the voting records of EMBO residents were transferred to Taguig.

The Makati City government earlier announced that EMBO residents are also no longer eligible for the city’s subsidized healthcare.

What can EMBO elderly expect from Taguig government?

With their Makati Blu Cards voided, what benefits can EMBO senior citizens expect from the Taguig city government?

In August 2023, Taguig initiated the distribution of birthday cash gifts to senior citizens in EMBO barangays. The amount is the same as the cash gifts given by Makati.

In a media interview, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said that she cannot give birthday cakes to senior citizens in EMBO, who have been accustomed to this gesture from Makati. The Taguig mayor said that she wants the elderly to decide on what they would do with their money.

During the observance of Elderly Filipino Week in October, Taguig welcomed EMBO senior citizens in its Center for the Elderly. The center features a therapy pool, a clinic, a sauna and massage room, a mini theater, a multi-purpose hall, a recreational area, and a rooftop garden.