The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading the measure that seeks to expand the coverage of senior citizens' privileges and benefits.
Receiving 177 affirmative votes during plenary session Wednesday night, June 5 was House Bill (HB) No.11400, which serves as the substitute bill for 24 individual measures filed in the current 19th Congress.
The proposed statute amends Republic Act (RA) No.7432, as amended, titled "An Act to maximize the contributions of senior citizens to nation building, grant benefits, and special privileges and for other purposes".
The measure enumerates various benefits for the elderly.
HB No.11400 amends Sec. 3 of the "Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010" by defining medicines, food supplements, private commercial establishments, and parking fee.
This includes online, offline, direct or indirect, first or third-party medium on the 20 percent discount privilege in the purchase of medicines, food supplements and vitamins, health professional fees, golf and country clubs, transport network services, and toll fees on sky-ways, expressways of the senior citizens.
The measure gives a 15 percent discount on the monthlv utilization of electricity and water, provided that the monthly consumption does not exceed two hundred kilowatt hours (200 kwh) of electricity and fifty cubic meters (50 m³) of water.
But HB No.11400 specifies that the billing statement must be under the name of the senior citizen.
The passed measure also grants a 8.5 percent special discount on the purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities.
HB No.11400 also allocates P25,000 to the nearest surviving relative of a deceased senior citizen. The amount shall be subject to adjustments due to inflation, the bill said.
It also provides exemption to senior citizens from the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program (UVVR or Color-Coding Scheme): Provided, that the vehicle is being commandeered by them or are carrying them: Provided, further, that they present any identification document which will identify them as senior citizens at the time of apprehension.
The measure also grants parking fee exemption to all senior citizens on board, or driving a vehicle which is privately owned, upon presentation of a valid senior citizen identification card in all commercial and government establishments that charge parking fees.
"In the purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, the senior citizen can avail of the promotional discount or the discount provided herein, whichever is higher," read the measure.
"The establishment may claim the discounts granted under subsections (a) and (c) of this section as tax deduction based on the cost of the goods sold or services rendered: Provided, that the cost of the discount shall be allowed as deduction from gross income for the same taxable year that the discount is granted; Provided, further, that the total amount of the claimed tax deduction net of VAT, if applicable, shall be included in their gross sales receipts for tax purposes and shall be subject to proper documentation and to the provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), as amended," it added.
The bill also directs the National Commission of Senior Citizens, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Energy Regulatory Commission, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, National Economic and Development Authority, and other concerned government agencies, to formulate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation ofthis Act.