Villar lauds passage of 'Expanded Senior Citizens Act'

Nacionalista Party President Senator Manny Villar lauded yesterday the passage of Senate Bill 3561 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act, which will grant additional benefits and privileges to elderly persons.

As co-author of the Senate bill, Villar said, "This legislation will really bring benefits that will significantly affect the daily lives of the country's senior citizens, who have more defined and unique needs than the rest of the population."

To recall, last year, Villar filed Senate Resolution 952 that asked for the assessment of the Senior Citizens Law. Senate Bill 3561 will amend Republic Act No. 7432 or the previously passed senior citizens law.

"I believe that a very good indication of how civilized and human a society is in how it takes care of its elderly or senior citizens. Providing them with as much benefits and privileges will truly make them live their twilight years more comfortably. It's the least we can do for them," added Villar.

In his discussion with concerned groups such as the Coalition of Association of Senior Citizen of the Philippines, Villar learned that there were business establishments or shops that do not honor discounts granted to senior citizens under the law, such as the discounts on medicine and food purchases.

"Marami sa ating senior citizens ang nagparating ng kanilang mga hinaing sa ating tanggapan. Isa na rito ang tungkol sa pagpataw ng 12 porsiyentong VAT sa kanilang mga binibili. Ayon sa kanila, dahil dito parang nawawalan ng saysay ang 20 porsiyentong diskwento nakukuha nila lalo na mga gamot na kanilang binibili," Villar said.

(We received many complaints from senior citizens about the 12 percent VAT imposed on their purchases. They said they cannot fully avail themselves of the 20 percent senior citizens discount because of VAT.) Villar said he is glad that this has been remedied in the recently passed Expanded Senior Citizens Act, which provides among others that:

* Senior citizens shall be granted exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) provided under the National Internal Revenue Code on the sale of goods and services from all establishments."