House wants list of discounts, benefits for seniors, PWDs, solo parents

Two House of Representatives panels want a comprehensive list of government-mandated discounts and benefits for senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and solo parents.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Tina Panganiban-Perez, the list will include among others parking and skyway discounts, bigger RFID loads to be used in expressways, and discounts for online purchases.

The proposal came after the House ways and means committee and the committee on senior citizens held a hearing on the conroversial Starbucks Philippines advisory limiting the benefits of seniors citizens and PWDs in their coffeeshops.

“It was not properly worded and we take full accountability and acknowledge the mistake. The signage was immediately removed and the guideline never followed,” said Starbucks Philippines Operations Director Angela Cole.

Despite this, Representative Joey Salceda, the ways and means head, said that this was not a light matter.

“So declare tomorrow as PWD and Senior Citizens day? Will you? So you don’t repeat it. Plus 1 drink and 1… wag naman meal… croissant lang. Hindi ako titigil hanggat hindi ninyo pinagsisisihan yan ha. Otherwise, we will just have to go with the natural process which is to prosecute,” he said.

The House also discussed other complaints lodged against other businesses regarding miscalculated discounts or the rejection of discounts for items on promo rates.

“The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) had already ruled in a case that the prohibition on double discounting is applicable only when the establishment’s promotion has a DTI permit. Without the DTI permit, the said promo rate is considered as a regular rate to which a Senior Citizen should still be entitled,” said senior citizen’s rights advocate Romulo Macalintal.

The committee stated that the law must be amended so that senior citizens would not be made to choose between discounted rates or promo rates.

Complaints against pharmacies that do not provide discounts to senior citizens and PWDs without booklets were also raised during the hearing.

“Doon sa non basic katulad ng mga medical, wala nang booklet. ‘Yun in agreement. Yung isa kasing booklet, yung P1,300. Pag naubos mo na yon… so P1,300 per week. mukhang kailangan nating i-upgrade due to inflation. Kasama doon bigas. Five percent sa rice and sa lahat ng grocery,” added Salceda.

Meanwhile, a lawmaker is also pushing to amend the law to avoid the abuse of PWD IDs. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News