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2 September 2026
Senior workers find purpose, livelihood at SM City Baguio
BAGUIO CITY — For some older workers, staying employed is about more than earning a living. It can also mean remaining active, independent and connected to a community they have known for years.
At SM City Baguio, senior citizens continue to work in roles that allow them to earn and contribute.
Among them are Marylou Cocal, 60, a janitress who has worked at the mall for 22 years under Dimensional Services Corp., and Elizabeth Balager, 62, a stylist and salon front desk coordinator at Amave.
Cocal’s two-decade tenure has made the mall a familiar part of her life.
She regards the workplace as a second family and credits her employment with helping her support her family and send her two daughters to college, according to the SM Supermalls release.
For Cocal, continuing to work at 60 is also about maintaining the routine and responsibilities she has built over the years.
Her long tenure reflects her continued commitment to her work and her ability to remain part of the mall community.
Balager, meanwhile, said work gives her a sense of personal satisfaction and allows her to remain active while earning for herself.
“Working even as a senior is a satisfaction for me personally,” Balager said.
She also said she values being able to remain productive despite her age.
“Despite my age, I still earn for myself,” she said.
Her work involves interacting with clients and maintaining a regular routine, which she sees as a way to stay physically active and engaged.
The experiences of Cocal and Balager highlight a broader aspect of workplace inclusion: opportunities for people who want to remain economically active and productive later in life.
Their stories also illustrate how employment can serve different purposes at different stages of life — from helping provide for a family to maintaining independence and continuing to do work a person enjoys.
For Cocal, more than two decades at SM City Baguio have provided a livelihood while allowing her to help her daughters complete college and build lasting relationships at work.
For Balager, continued employment provides income, activity and the satisfaction of remaining engaged in work she enjoys.
Their circumstances are different, but both continue to find value in working beyond traditional retirement age.
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