Poe seeks further discounts on senior citizens' water, electricity bill
Senator Grace Poe has filed a bill seeking to make further discounts on the water and electric consumption of senior citizens.
Poe’s measure, Senate Bill 12066, seeks to grant senior citizens a minimum five percent discount on the first 150 kilowatt hour (kwh) of electricity and on the first 50 cubic meters of water consumption supplied by public utilities and an exemption from value added tax (VAT).
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 9994, known. as the ‘’Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.’’
To extend more benefits to senior citizens, the bill of Poe seeks to amend Republic Act 9994, known as the ‘’Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010’’ whose five percent discount application to senior citizens is limited to water consumption not exceeding 100 kwh and not exceeding 30 cubic meters of water.
The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 recognizes the great contributions of Philippine senior citizens in nation building in that they are considered as ‘’integral part of the Philippine society.’’
‘’Constitutional principles resonate with the right of elderly citizens to ..adequate food, water, shelter, clothing and health care through the provision of income, family and community support and self-help,’’ the bill of Poe stated.
The discount is given where the senior citizen resides and the electric or water meter is registered in his or her name.