“Kining atong senior citizens, by virtue of particular law, naa ni sila benefits ug privileges na gigrant,” said DTI-10 OIC-Assistant Regional Director Ruel Paclipan in the episode of Heading Online options for Protecting Consumers and Enabling Businesses (HOPE) Webinar Series Wednesday, February 16.
[Our senior citizens, by virtue of particular law, they have benefits and privileges that are granted.]
CSWD Social Welfare Officer II Melody Camilo introduced the benefits reiterating that the law provides that one will only be entitled to privileges of a senior citizen if he/she is 60 years old or above and a resident of the Philippines. Aliens will only be covered if he/she has dual citizenship and has resided for at least six months in the country.
She detailed that among the benefits a senior citizen is privileged to have a medical privilege that entails mandatory PhilHealth coverage, and 20% discount and VAT exemption when purchasing prescribed medicines and vitamins, influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, and medical supply and services.
Additionally, they have travel, entertainment and recreation privileges which also give 20% discount and VAT exemption, and the utility privilege which gives 5% discount on the monthly utilization of electricity and water for households, and 50% discount for DSWD-accredited senior citizen centers just as they are also entitled to a 5% discount upon purchasing identified basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC).
Government assistance, such as the social pension, is made available as well to the elderlies with due consideration of their needs.
Camilo clarified that a senior citizen can only make use of the utility privilege for both electric and water bills given the utility meter is under their name, the consumption does not exceed 100 kilowatts per hour of electricity and 30 cubic meters of water, and the discount is availed per household regardless of the number of senior citizens living therein.
She further stated that the discount for the purchase of BNPC should not exceed P1,300 per calendar week and if not availed or used totally, such cannot be in addition to the amount needed to be spent for the next week.
Accordingly, a double discount is not allowed, thus, a senior citizen will have to choose between using the senior citizen discount or the promotional discount.
With all the presented benefits, the CSWD posted that availing elderlies is necessitated to present a senior citizen identification card and the appropriate Purchase Booklet issued by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA). A green booklet must be shown for the purchase of BNPC while the white one is for the medicines and drugs. For the senior citizens’ representatives, an authorization letter and a valid identification card will be required. (CRG/PIA-ICIC)
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