Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Ordanes on Friday, Aug. 8, said they are pushing the “Iskolar ng Bayan” program to help grandparents who are supporting their grandchildren’s education.

During a press conference in Pasig City, Ordanes said they are proposing to allocate 30 percent of the 1 percent collected for the Special Education Fund (SEF) of local government units (LGUs) to fund the program.

The initiative aims to benefit thousands of students, as well as grandparents who are helping finance their grandchildren’s education. He noted that this was also part of government’s efforts to solve the literacy problem.

He said the plan includes creating a local selection committee composed of members from the religious sector and civil society groups. If approved, the criteria for determining who will qualify for the program will be set in the implementing rules and regulations.

Additional benefits for seniors

Apart from pushing for the scholarship program, Ordanes is also advocating for the strict implementation of the 20-percent discount and value-added tax (VAT) exemption for senior citizens nationwide.

He said that aside from the discount on medicines, he was also seeking to institutionalize a 20-percent rebate on groceries for seniors, pointing out that, at present, only a five-percent discount is being granted  them for goods and services. He also emphasized that establishments violating the discount provisions are not being penalized.

Ordanes further announced that the Social Security System (SSS) pension for senior citizens will be increased in stages, and will start with a 10-percent hike in September this year, another 10 percent next year, and a further 10 percent in the third year.