Hindi biro ang tumanda. Aside from growing slower and weaker, dumarami na rin ang medical needs once maging senior citizen na.
According to the National Statistical Coordinating Board or NSCB, nasa 6.3 million na ang senior citizen population ng Pilipinas nung 2010 or more than 6% ng buong Philippine population.
The Philippine Statistical Authority meanwhile projects that the elderly population will comprise 6.5% of the population by 2025.
Aside from their growing needs, senior citizens, among other groups, experience the highest poverty incidence in the country.
That is why the government and most Filipino families are doing their best to help improve the quality of life of these “pillars of our society.”
Pero there are still many out there who take advantage of our Lolos and Lolas.
For example, may mga tindahan, drugstores or restaurants that don’t give the mandated 20% senior citizen discount for food, medicine, transportation fares, and other services na dapat binibigyan ng discount.
May iba namang sumusunod nga sa batas, pero masyadong namang nagiging by the book. Sa drugstore, for example, hindi pa rin binibigyan ng discount si Lolo o Lola na nakalimutan lang dalhin yung Senior Citizen’s ID niya, kahit obvious naman na senior citizen na siya.
Kahit magpakita pa siya ng ibang proof o ID na over 60 na siya, hindi pa rin ito tinatanggap ng drugstore kasi hindi issued ng Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSAA).
Dapat nang magreklamo sina Lolo at Lola sa OSAA ng lungsod kung saan naroon ang establishment kung ganito ang ginagawa sa kanila. Pwede ring magreklamo sa Dept of Trade and Industry (DTI) hotline 751-3330.
Because of incidents like these, nagpaalala ang Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nung July sa mga senior citizens about their rights, and for drugstores to honor any government issued IDs, hindi lang yung issued ng OSAA. Ito naman kasi ang nakalagay sa Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
Among the acceptable IDs are:
1. passport
2. driver’s license
3. voter’s ID
4. SSS or GSIS ID
5. PRC license
6. postal ID
7. any other ID deemed acceptable by OSAA or by the law
Pero kailangan pa rin yung Senior Citizen’s booklet na ibinigay ng OSAA para ma-monitor ang mga transactions sa botika.
Image from http://www.untvweb.com/news/20-discount-at-vat-exemption-sa-medical-services-para-sa-senior-citizens-epektibo-na/
The law adds that there is no need for a doctor’s prescription to get the 20% senior citizen discount for over-the-counter medicines like pain relievers, anti-diarrhea drugs, etc.
Meanwhile, Palawan 2nd District Rep. Frederick Abueg filed House Bill 4664 recently, to increase the senior citizen discount for food, basic necessities, fares, etc. from 20% to 30%.
Tama nga naman kasi wala namang steady source of income ang senior citizens or umaasa lang sila sa mga anak o apo nila.
Iba na rin kasi ang economic conditions, gaya ng inflation, ngayon kumpara nung mag-take effect yung law nung 2003.
In the past Congresses, many similar bills were filed kaso wala namang naipasa to repeal the old law.
Pero ang good news, na-approve recently ang Senate Bill No. 712 na layong isailalim ang lahat ng senior citizens sa PhilHealth coverage.
Sinuportahan naman ni DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima ang pag-apruba ng consolidated versions ng nasabing Senate Bill at House Bill No. 4593, na gustong amyendahan ang “Senior Citizens Act of 2010.”
Sa legal opinion ng kalihim na hiniling ng Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs, de Lima said that it is only fitting for the State to “give full support to the improvement of the total well-being of the elderly and their full participation in society, considering that senior citizens are an integral part of Philippine society.”
