Poe bats for wider scope of elderly’s 5% discount on electricity, water bills

Senator Grace Poe filed a bill seeking to widen the consumption threshold indicated in the law granting senior citizens a 5% discount on electric and water bills and exempting them from the value-added tax (VAT) on utilities.

In filing Senate Bill 1066, Poe aimed to amend certain provisions of Republic Act Number 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010 to give senior citizens a minimum 5% discount on their first 150 kilowatt hours of electricity and first 50 cubic meters of water consumption.

She argued that the law granting a 5% discount to senior citizens’ monthly electricity and water bills “has been hampered because Section 4(c) of RA 9994 limits its application to those senior citizens whose consumption does not exceed 100-kilowatt hours (KWh) of electricity and thirty cubic meters (30m3) of water.”

“In other words, if a senior citizen consumes, say 100.1 KWh or 30.1 cubic meters of water, he would no longer be entitled to the 5% discount,” said Poe in her bill.

“Thus, there is a need to amend this law to apply the 5% discount to the first 100 KWh or the first 30 cubic meters of water,” it added.

Poe also said out that it would further benefit the elderly if they are exempted from the VAT of these essential utilities.

According to the measure, the privilege is granted per household regardless of the number of senior citizens residing there. — DVM, GMA News