QUEZON City, Philippines (March 14) – No one can really define the final stage of a normal life span but people are said to be senior citizens when they reach the age of sixty and above because this is the age when people are mostly ready to retire from their workplace.
The total number of senior citizens based on the 2010 census of Population and Housing was 6.3 million, accounting for 6.8 percent of the whole population in the Philippines. As the Constitution provided, the government shall recognize the right of the seniors by providing them benefits and privileges.
There are laws passed by the government that provides benefits for the senior citizens. Said laws are the following: Republic Act No. 7432 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, the RA 9994, an amendment to RA 7432 to include additional services, and the RA 10645, an amendment to RA 9994 to provide mandatory PhilHealth coverage for all.
It is not only the senior citizens who should be familiar with their rights but their loved ones too, to ensure that our beloved elders get the benefits and privileges that they deserve.
Here is the list of their benefits and privileges:
DISCOUNTS:
Twenty Percent (20%) Discount and VAT
MEDICAL-RELATED PRIVILEGES
- Medicine ands drug purchases.
- Essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment.
- Medical and dental Services in the private facilities.
- Professional fees of attending physician/s in all private hospitals, outpatient clinics and home health care facilities.
- Professional fees of licensed health workers providing home health care services.
DOMESTIC TRANSPORTATION PRIVILEGES
- Air and sea Transportation privileges.
- Public land transportation privileges.
Source: atlp.org
RECREATIONAL PLACES
- Hotels and Similar Lodging Establishments.
- Restaurants
- Admission fees privilege charged by theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement such as museums and parks.
FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES
CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS
UTILITY DISCOUNTS
- Five (5%) Discount relative to the monthly use of water and electricity, provided that the meter is registered under the name of the senior citizen residing therein and does not exceed 100 kWh and 30 m³.
OTHER PRIVILEGES:
- INCOME TAX EXEMPTION, provided that he/she is considered to be minimum wage earner.
- EXEMPTION FROM TRAINING FEES
- FREE MEDICAL AND DENTAL SERVICES IN GOVERNMENT FACILITIES, in accordance with the rules and regulation to be issued by the DOH, in coordination with the PHILHEALTH.
- FREE VACCINATION FOR INDIGENT SENIOR CITIZENS.
- EDUCATIONAL PRIVILEGES
- BENEFITS AND PRIVILEGES FOR RETIREES. shall be granted the continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS) and PAG-IBIG, as the case may be, as are enjoyed by those in active service.
- PRIVILEGES ON GRANTING SPECIAL DISCOUNTS IN SPECIAL PROGRAMS
- EXPRESS LANES PRIVILEGES.
ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
- SOCIAL PENSION, indigent senior citizens shall be entitled to a monthly stipend amounting to Five hundred pesos (Php 500.00) to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of senior citizens.
- MANDATORY PHILHEALTH COVERAGE – All indigent senior citizens shall be covered by the national health insurance program.
- SOCIAL SAFETY NETS – Social safety assistance intended to cushion the effects of economic shocks; disasters and calamities shall be available for senior citizens.
- DEATH BENEFIT ASSISTANCE, assistance of a minimum of Two thousand pesos (Php 2, 000.00) shall be given to the nearest surviving relative who took care of the deceased senior citizens.
Reference: http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2010/ra_9994_2010.html
(written by Mia Caragay, edited by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Lovely Ann Cruz)
