House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo says the concerned government agencies must start implementing the P500 monthly grocery discount for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) this March.
DTI, other agencies told to enforce P500 monthly grocery discount for seniors, PWDs this month
Mar 5, 2024 10:23 AM
At a glance
(MANILA BULLETIN)
The concerned government agencies must start to enforce the P500 monthly grocery discount for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) this March.
Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo gave this stern statement in front of the agencies' representatives during a joint hearing Tuesday, March 5 of the Committees on Ways and Means, on Senior Citizens; and Special Committee on Persons with Disabilities.
No less than House Speaker Martin Romualdez promised the forthcoming discount hike after he was assured but the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) that it was doable this month.
The present discount is P65 a week, or P260 a month. The plan is to bump up the benefit to P125 a week, or P500 a month.
Tulfo said he attended the Speaker’s meeting with DTI Undersecretary Carolina Sanchez and would like to inquire from the implementing agencies “How we are doing.”
He said Sanchez’s commitment was to effect the increase in the grocery discount on basic food items, meat and agricultural products by the end of this month.
“We have to have it quickly,” said the deputy speaker for communications.
Director Marcus Valdez of DTI's Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau informed the joint committee that the DTI has been coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Energy (DoE) for the implementation of the increased discount.
“We confirm the promise made last week and the timeline,” Valdez told Tulfo.
On the other hand, DA Assistant Secretary for Consumer Affairs and concurrent for Legislative Affairs Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra said public consultations are scheduled to be held on March 11 and 12 before the increased discount is given.
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What about hospital bills?
Tulfo also followed up on the promise of Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) officials to Romualdez on the increase in the discount on hospital bills and professional fees of patients from 30 percent to 50 percent.
“May pondo kayo, may subsidy pa kayo [from the national government] (You have the funds and you're even subsidized by the national government). In our calculation, PhilHealth can afford to shoulder 50 percent of the cost of hospitalization and professional fees,” he said.
He said Philhealth members, who are mostly employees, find it hard to shoulder 70 percent of the cost, given the present 30 percent subsidy rate.