QC councilor wants elderly exempted from MMDA vehicle number-coding

MANILA, Philippines—A councilor is pushing to exempt senior citizens living in Quezon City from the vehicle number-coding scheme of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

This is according to a proposed measure penned by city councilor Marvin Rillo which seeks to expand privileges granted to the elderly even on the road.

Rillo said exempting senior citizens would be part of Quezon City’s efforts to recognize the elderly’s role in nation-building.

Earlier, the city government exempted elderly residents from paying initial parking rates in parking lots charging parking fees.

The city councilor added that he has been coordinating with the MMDA and with the city government’s Department of Public Order and Safety, in charge of traffic management.

The proposed exemption is still pending before the Quezon City council.

Under the proposal, senior citizens must present a valid senior citizens’ identification card from the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs should they be asked to do so by a traffic enforcer.

The elderly resident may be the driver of the questioned vehicle or a passenger.

If the senior citizen is a passenger of the vehicle, the driver should also have a valid driver’s license, according to Rillo.

The proposed exemption for the elderly will only apply to privately owned vehicles.

Any traffic enforcer found not implementing the proposed ordinance will be made to redeem the drivers’ license of the elderly resident.

Data from the OSCA through its head, Lino Illera, show that Quezon City has about 270,000 registered senior citizens.