Senior citizens urged to file complaints
BRING them to court.
This was the call made by the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) as complaints against business establishments that refuse to comply with or skirt around the law that require extending the mandated 20% discount to cardbearing senior citizens for certain goods and services.
The complaints were filed by senior citizens against such establishments as drugstores, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, and funeral homes.
OSCA program executive Lorna Fernandez explained in an interview that while her office does not have the authority to file legal cases against erring shops, it can guide the complainants during the trial in court.
Fernandez added that complainants are more likely to win than lose if they file legal charges.
She cited a common complaint that point to drugstores refusing to grant discounts citing the “lowest” price compared to other pharmacies.
Some hospitals and funeral homes, on the other hand, tell clients they have already given the 20% discount but do not say what the standard rates are as basis.
In the case of the Philippines, the latest law covering its senior citizens, Republic Act (RA) No. 9994, refers to a senior citizen as simply any resident citizen of the Philippines aged at least 60 years old.
The Senior Citizens Act was first promulgated in 1992 under Republic Act 7432, provides special privileges and benefits to Filipino citizens 60 years and above. It was expanded in 2003 through RA 9257 and again last year with RA 9257. (PIA-Pangasinan)
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