Benefits And Social Privileges Of Senior Citizens

APPLYING FOR SENIOR CITIZEN'S ID

Senior citizens are granted several benefits and privileges under Republic Act No. 9994 and Republic Act No. 10645. In order to avail of these benefits, the senior citizen or his/her authorized representative shall present a valid and original Senior Citizens’ Identification Card.

A Senior Citizens’ Identification Card is issued by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) in the city or municipality where the senior citizen resides. Documentary requirements vary per municipality, but the basic qualifications based on RA 9994 are as follows:

• Must be a Filipino citizen who is a resident of the Philippines
• Must be 60 years old or above
• May apply to senior citizens with dual citizenship provided that they prove their Filipino citizenship and have at least six months residency in the Philippines

BENEFITS:

TWENTY PERCENT (20%) DISCOUNT AND VAT EXEMPTION

1. Medical-related privileges
2. Domestic transportation privileges
3. Hotels, restaurants, recreational centers, and places of leisure, and funeral services
4. Recreations centers
5. Admission fees privilege
6. Funeral and burial services

OTHER PRIVILEGES

• Income tax exemption - The senior citizen shall be entitled to exemption from the payment of the individual income tax, provided he/she is considered to be minimum wage earner in accordance with Republic Act No. 9504.

• Exemption from training fees - The senior citizen shall be exempted from training fees for socio-economic programs conducted by private and government agencies subject to the guidelines issued by the DTI, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the DA, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Science and Technology – Technology Resource Center (DOST – TRC).

• Free medical and dental services in government facilities - Medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory tests requested by the physician such as but not limited to X-rays, computerized tomography scans, and blood tests availed of by senior citizens, including professional fees of attending doctors in all government hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, and home health care services, shall be provided free of charge to senior citizens. These shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by the DOH, in coordination with the PhilHealth.

• Free vaccinations for indigent senior citizens - a) The DOH shall administer free vaccinations against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizen patients; b) Neglected, abandoned, unattached or homeless senior citizens in government-run residential homes, centers and facilities shall likewise be entitled to free vaccinations under these Rules; c) The DOH shall enjoin all government and private hospitals, as well as other health facilities to post, publish or print out a schedule of health benefits and privileges i.e., laboratory and diagnostic test fees, which should be regularly updated.

• Educational privileges - Educational assistance shall be granted to senior citizens to pursue post secondary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education in both public and private schools through provision of scholarships, grants, financial aid, subsidies and other incentives to qualified senior citizens. This will also include support for books, learning materials, and uniform allowance, to the extent feasible: Provided, that senior citizens shall meet minimum admission requirements.

• Benefits and privileges for retirees - a) To the extent practicable and feasible, the senior citizen 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; b) Retirement benefits of retirees from both the government and the private sector shall be regularly reviewed every year to ensure their continuing responsiveness and sustainability, and to the extent practicable and feasible, shall be upgraded to be at par with the current scale enjoyed by those in actual service based on National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) poverty threshold per region as determined by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

• Privileges on granting special discounts in special programs - To the extent possible, the government may grant special discounts in special programs for senior citizens on purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities, Provided, that such special programs and their guidelines shall be developed by the concerned department within the concerned department’s jurisdiction.

• Express lanes privileges - Accessible express lanes for senior citizens shall be provided in all private, banking, commercial, and government establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.

UTILITY DISCOUNTS

• Click here to learn about utility discounts.

Credit card payments The 20% discount and VAT exemption shall also apply to purchases of goods and services by senior citizens paying through credit cards. No double discounts In the purchase of goods and services which are on promotional discount, the senior citizen can avail of the establishment’s offered discount or the 20% discount provided herein, whichever is higher and more favorable. In cases where the senior citizen is also a person with disability (PWD) entitled to a 20% discount under his/her valid PWD identification card (ID), the senior citizen shall use either his/her OSCA-issued ID card or PWD ID card to avail of the 20% discount. Tax deduction The establishment may claim the discounts provided herein as tax deductions 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.

GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

• Employment
• Education
• Health
• Social services
• Housing
• Access to public transport
• Incentive for foster care

ADDITIONAL GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE

• Social pension - Pursuant to the eligibility criteria as may be determined by the DSWD, 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. The grant of social pension shall be subject to a review every two (2) years by Congress, in consultation with the DSWD within three months after convening the Congress.

• Mandatory PhilHealth coverage - All senior citizens shall be covered by the national health insurance program of PhilHealth. Funds necessary to ensure the enrollment of all senior citizens not currently covered by any existing category shall be sourced from the National Health Insurance Fund of PhilHealth from proceeds of Republic Act No. 10351, in accordance with the pertinent laws and regulations.

• Social safety nets - Social safety assistance intended to cushion the effects of economic shocks; disasters and calamities shall be available for senior citizens. The social safety assistance which shall include, but not limited to, food, medicines, and financial assistance for domicile repair, shall be sourced from the disaster/calamity funds of local government units where the senior citizens reside, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DSWD in coordination with DILG.

• Death benefit assistance - Death benefit 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 citizen until his/her death, or in his/her absence, the benefactor or the licensed foster family of the deceased indigent senior citizen, which amount shall be subject to adjustments every two years due to inflation, in accordance with the guidelines to be issued by the DSWD and DILG.

In keeping with the intention of the law and similar government assistance being granted, this benefit shall apply in relation to deceased indigent senior citizens only. However, it will not preclude LGUs already granting burial assistance to continue giving such benefit to non-indigent senior citizens.

Source: http://www.gov.ph/services/senior-citizens/