Plaints of non-compliance of law for the elders raised

Two years since the enactment of Republic Act 9257, or the law providing privileges and benefits to senior citizens, complaints of its poor implementation and non-compliance of some sectors are still prevalent.

About 700 of the 1,700 card-bearing senior citizens of the city raised this concern yesterday during the Third Cebu City Senior Citizens Congress, the culminating activity of the Senior Citizens Month observance.

The assembly, held in the morning at Kawit Point in the South Reclamation Project area, was also attended by regional officials of government agencies, which have been tasked in implementing the law, and councilor Rodrigo Abellanosa, chairman of the city's Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs.

Abellanosa said that there are a lot of privileges and benefits that have not been granted to the senior citizens by the law, so he urged them to report to OSCA any complaints regarding this matter.

The most common complaint was the non-granting of the 20 percent discount on fares of public utility vehicles. The elderly said that, despite showing their Senior Citizen's identification cards, drivers and fare collectors would rudely reject them the privilege.

Worse, their insistence would end up in arguments with the drivers and fare collectors even resorting to insulting them and calling them names, the senior citizens said.

Land Transportation Office-7 chief operations officer Vicente Gador Jr. said this matter should be brought to his office so that drivers and collectors will be apprehended and penalized.

A provision of RA 9257 stipulated a penalty against violators of a fine of at least P50,000 but not exceeding P100,000, and an imprisonment of six months to two years-for the first offense-and a fine of between P100,000 and P200,000 and an imprisonment of two to six years-for succeeding violations.

Gador suggested that the fare matrix issued by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to all PUVs including taxis and vans-for-hire should indicate the 20 percent discount for senior citizens.

Another complaint was against drugstores and pharmacies that also deny the elderly of their 20 percent discount in the purchase of medicines.

Monina Coyuca, of the Bureau of Food and Drugs-7, said these establishments should comply with the law when a senior citizen presents the purchase order, his or her ID, and the prescription from the physician.

She said errant establishment shall be sanctioned, and she encouraged the elderly to report to BFAD any incident like this.

Bureau of Internal Revenue legal officer Mercy Clamor, on the other hand, mentioned that establishments granting senior citizens their benefits shall be entitled also to a 20 percent tax rebates over the given discounts.

Martiniana Mercado, a former regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, suggested that the city or government agencies should set aside funds for the production of stickers and other materials announcing the discounts or benefits that senior citizens should be entitled to, in accordance with RA 9257.

She said these stickers should be posted on business establishments, government offices or agencies, and vehicles to press for the compliance of the law.

Among the privileges accorded to senior citizens, under RA 9257, are 20 percent discount on dues for services and items of all establishments such as hotels, lodging houses, restaurants and recreation centers, and even funeral and burial services for senior citizens. - Cristina C. Birondo