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Authored by Councilor ANTONIO R. ESPIRITU and Councilor CORAZON A. CORTEZ
Co-Authors:
Councilor ROVIN ANDREW M. FELICIANO, Councilor MARLON PAULO C. ALEJANDRINO,
Councilor JENNIFER PINGREE-ESPLANA, Councilor LORENA NATIVIDAD-BORJA,
Councilor LAILANIE P. NOLASCO, Councilor CRISSHA M. PINEDA,
Councilor KRISTIAN ROME T. SY and Councilor RAMON L. ENCARNACION

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WHEREAS, Senior Citizens constitute a marginalized sector of the populace that continue to play a vital role in the progress of the city;

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9257 otherwise known as the "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003" provides grants and privileges that encourage the provision of enhanced leisure activities for all elderly Filipinos;

WHEREAS, the City Government, as gesture of appreciation, should likewise extend similar entitlements to the Senior Citizens of the city by way of encouraging the granting of movie privileges;

WHEREAS, senior citizens have reached their age where they have contributed much in our community, therefore, the senior citizens must be given the privileged they deserved;

WHEREAS, said privilege shall not be subject to the consent, willingness and generosity of cinema owners/operators and should not be construed as a right.

NOW, THEREFORE, be it ORDAINED by the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Valenzuela that:

SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY - It is hereby declared the policy of the City of Valenzuela to provide a certain privilege to senior citizens duly registered in the City by directing cinema operators/owners to grant free admission to Senior Citizens of the City of Valenzuela.

SECTION 2.  DEFINITION OF TERMS:

1. Valenzuela Day - refers to the Foundation Day of Valenzuela dated back November 12,1623 when it was still a town of Polo, Bulacan.
   
   
2. Elderly Month - refers to the yearly celebration of the rights of Eiders being observed during the month of October.
   
   
3. Tours or organized Group Activities - means an organized group composed of more than ten (10) Senior Citizens conducting a group activity or tours in a certain area.
   
   
4. Administrative Penalty/Fine - A legal mechanism that allows the local government to penalize the violation of this Ordinance which consist of the imposition of monetary fine. It is intended to provide alternative enforcement mechanism that is more cost-effective, timely and practical than prosecuting offender/s to the court system.

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF APPLICATION - This privilege may be availed by Senior Citizens of Valenzuela subject to the following guidelines:

1. Presentation of Senior Citizens identification Card to the authorized personnel of movie houses, theaters and cinemas;
2. Payment of the regular admission fee of the person accompanying the Senior Citizen;
3. This privilege may only be availed on the following schedules:

   Valenzuela Day	November 12-WHOLE DAY
   Birthday Month	Monday to Friday only.
   Elderly Month	Every October - Monday to Friday only.

4. This privilege cannot be availed during weekends and during the duration of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) as well as during advance screenings, special screenings and sneak previews of a movie except for the last day of the film showing of the Metro Manila Film Festival January of the following year.
5. This privilege cannot be availed for tours or organized group activities.
6. Empowerment of theater owners/persons in charge of the movie houses, theaters or cinema operations to require senior citizen to present a senior citizen's identification card for unauthorized use.

SECTION 4. PUBLICATION AND POSTING REQUIREMENTS - Copies of this Ordinance shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation and shall be posted in the ticket booths in conspicuous places in theater lobby area.

SECTION 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES/FINE - Owners, operators or persons charged with the operation of movie houses, theaters and cinemas that refuses admission to qualified senior citizens for free shall by virtue of a complaint filed by an affected senior citizen at the Office of the Senior Citizen's Affairs (OSCA) in coordination with the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) and Task Force Disiplina be subject to administrative penalties in the following manner:

FIRST OFFENSE	FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (Php 5,000.00)
SECOND OFFENSE	TEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php 10,000.00)
THIRD OFFENSE	FIFTEEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php 15,000.00)

SECTION 6. PENALTY CLAUSE - Owners, operators or persons charged with the operation of movie houses, theaters and cinemas that refuses admission to qualified senior citizens for free shall, upon conviction, be penalized as follows:

1st Offense	A fine of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (Php5,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than one (1) month, or both at the discretion of the court;
2nd Offense	A fine of TEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php10,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than two (2) months but not less than one (1) month , or both at the discretion of the court;
3rd Offense	A fine of FIFTEEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php15,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than three (3) months but not less than two (2) months, or both at the discretion of the court;

The above mentioned Administrative Fine/Penalty shall be charged and collected by BPLO during the renewal of their business license in the City Government of Valenzuela. Furthermore, if the violator or offender is a firm, company, association, corporation or partnership, its manager, President or Chairman of the Board of Directors, or managing partner shall suffer the penalty or penalties provided herein.

SECTION 7. The Office of the City Mayor shall formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations of this ordinance to carry out its purpose and objectives.

SECTION 8. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION - Copies of this Ordinance shall be furnished to all cinemas operating within the City, the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs, Business Permit and Licensing Office and Department of Trade and Industry - Valenzuela City Office.

SECTION 9. REPEALING CLAUSE - All previous Ordinance and rules/regulations inconsistent with the provision hereof are deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. EFFECTIVITY - This Ordinance shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

ENACTED.
OCTOBER 13, 2014.
VALENZUELA CITY, METROPOLITAN MANILA.
HON. ROSALIE ESTEBAN-CAYCO

(Sgd.) HON. ANTONIO R. ESPIRITU Councilor Majority Floor Leader	HON. ROSALIE ESTEBAN-CAYCO Councilor Minority Floor Leader
(Sgd.) HON. MARCELINO G. MORELOS Councilor	(Sgd.) HON. LORENA NATIVIDAD-BORJA Councilor
(Sgd.) HON. ROVIN ANDREW M. FELICIANO Councilor	(Sgd.) HON. LAILANIE P. NOLASCO Councilor
(Sgd.) HON. CORAZON A. CORTEZ Councilor	(Sgd.) HON. KIMBERLY ANN D.V. GALANG Councilor
(Sgd.) HON. MARLON PAULO C. ALEJANDRINO Councilor	(Sgd.) HON. CRISSHA M. PINEDA Councilor
(Sgd.) HON. JENNIFER PINGREE-ESPLANA Councilor	(Sgd.) HON. KRISTIAN ROME T. SY Councilor
(Sgd.) HON. RAMON L. ENCARNACION Councilor (President, League of Barangays)
ATTESTED:
	(Sgd.) FLAVIO C. DIAZ Secretary
CERTIFIED CORRECT:
(Sgd.) HON. ERIC M. MARTINEZ Presiding Officer City Vice Mayor
APPROVED:
(Sgd.) HON. REXLON T. GATCHALIAN City Mayor Date Signed: ___________________