In a significant move to support the elderly, the House Committee on Ways and Means has passed a comprehensive bill aimed at improving the benefits and privileges for senior citizens. The decision was made during a session held on January 14, 2024, in Manila, where the committee approved a substitute bill that merges 22 different proposals designed to alleviate the financial burdens faced by seniors and enhance their overall welfare.
Albay Representative Joey Salceda, who chairs the committee, emphasized that the bill represents a culmination of extensive work by multiple committees, including Ways and Means, Senior Citizens, and Disability Affairs. A key feature of the proposed legislation is the elimination of the need for a senior citizen booklet to access discounts, a change Salceda insisted on to ensure that this advancement cannot be reversed by future administrative decisions.
The bill introduces several new benefits for seniors, such as a PHP2,000 discount on tollway fees for expressway users, designed to be protected from potential abuse through a capped discount system. Other enhancements include extending the senior citizen discount to services provided by transport network companies like Grab and Angkas, increasing utility discounts from 5% to 15% for water and electricity usage up to 200 kilowatt hours, and extending a 20% discount to purchases made online.
To manage the financial implications of these expanded benefits, the bill allows businesses to deduct the cost of value-added tax (VAT) discounts from their gross income. This approach aims to distribute the financial load between the government and the private sector, rather than solely passing it onto consumers.
Salceda expressed confidence that the bill, which has been developed through extensive consultations, would successfully navigate through Congress, potentially even during a lame-duck session.