DTI Guidelines On Senior Citizen Discount: Things You Need To Know

In this article, we will provide you with the DTI guidelines on senior citizen discount. But first, in order to become a senior citizen of the Philippines, one person needs to meet the following requirements:

• Be 60 years old or older.
• A citizen of the Philippines
• Has been a resident of the municipality or the city where he/she applies for a Senior Citizen ID at least six months.

DTI Senior Citizen Discount

1. Public Land Transportation: Jeep, Bus, Taxi, LRT, PNR, and MRT station.

2. Medicines: any medicine prescribed by your doctor.

3. Medical and Dental Services including laboratory tests at both public or private facilities.

4. Medical Supplies and Equipment including Syringes, Needles, Needle-holders, Towels, Medicine cups, Compartment trays, Gauze, Scissors, etc.

5. Hotels including mountain and beach resort.

6. Restaurants.

6. Grocery Store.

Remember to bring and show your Senior Citizen ID as well as Pamphlet.

Senior Citizen Benefits

Filipino senior citizens get to enjoy VAT exemption, 20% discount as and many other privileges.

1. Health or medical-related

20% off and VAT exemption when purchase:

• Generic and brand medicines and drugs;
• Influenza and pneumococcal vaccines;
• Vitamins and minerals supplements if they are prescribed by a physician to prevent or treat a disease, injury or illness;
• Medical supplies and equipment like hearing aids, eyeglasses, artificial bone replacements, etc.
• Medical devices for the recovery or monitoring of a specific disease;
• Medical and dental services in private facilities;
• Diagnostic laboratory tests in private facilities;
• Professional fees of seeing physicians in all medical facilities, private hospitals, home care facilities, and outpatient clinics;
• Professional fees of seeing licensed health workers for home health care services;
• Medical and dental services, professional fees of seeing physicians as well as other health professionals, and diagnostic and laboratory fees in pay sections of government-owned health facilities or hospitals.

Free for these services:

• Diagnostic and laboratory services if they are requested by a physician;
• Medical and dental services;
• Influenza virus and pneumococcal vaccinations at the DOH.

2. PhilHealth coverage.

3. Transportation

20% off and VAT exemption when purchase fare for:

• Domestic air and sea travel;
• Public utility buses, taxis, jeepneys, and shuttle service;
• Public railways.

Senior citizens are exempt from paying passenger terminal fees in seaports and airports.

4. Utility

• 5% discount on the monthly bill of electricity or water;
• 50% off on the monthly bill of electricity, water, and telephone at residential care institutions, DSWD-accredited senior citizens centers, or group homes.

5. Taxation

Senior citizens are exempt from paying

• Value Added Tax;
• Individual income tax as long as the senior citizen is a minimum wage earner.

6. Travel, entertainment, and recreation

20% off and VAT exemption for:

• Hotels: Room booking and using other amenities;
• Restaurants: Food, drinks, desserts, and consumable items;
• Sports facilities and equipment: fees, charges, and rental fees;
• Culture, leisure and amusement destinations: admission fees.

7. Funeral and burial services

20% off and VAT exemption for:

• Embalming services;
• Casket or urn;
• Viewing or wake cost;
• Cremation;
• Body transport to the burial site;
• Pick-up from the hospital morgue.

The nearest relative taking care of the deceased senior citizen will receive P2,000 as a death benefit assistance.

• The 20% discount doesn’t apply to obituary publication and cost of the memorial lot;
• The person claiming the discount should be the beneficiary or the person in charge of the deceased senior citizen’s funeral expenses.

8. Basic necessities & prime commodities

5% discount when purchasing these basic necessities:

• Corns;
• All kinds of rice;
• Fresh poultry meat, pork, and beef;
• Fresh, dried, canned fish as well as other marine products;
• Fresh eggs except for quail eggs;
• Fresh and processed milk;
• Water in bottles and containers;
• Fresh vegetables;
• Fresh fruits;
• Instant noodles that are locally manufactured;
• Coffee and coffee creamer;
• Sugar;
• Bat, liquid, and powdered laundry and detergent soap;
• No more than 11kgs of liquefied petroleum gas every five months
• No more than 2 liters of kerosene each month.

5% discount when purchasing these prime commodities:

• Flour;
• Dairy products;
• Dried, processed, and canned poultry meat, pork, and beef;
• Vinegar, soy sauce, and patis;
• Onions and garlic;
• Fertilizer, Herbicides, Pesticide;
• Toilet/bath, and soap;
• Livestock feeds, poultry feeds, and fishery feeds;
• Veterinary products;
• Nipa shingles;
• Paper, school supplies;
• Cement, GI Sheets, Clinker;
• Sawali;
• Plywood, construction nails, plyboard;
• Hollow blocks;
• Steel wires;
• Batteries except for automotive and cell phone batteries;
• Light bulbs and electrical supplies.

For a full version of the Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010 of the Philippines, please visit this link. That is all you need to know regarding DTI guidelines on senior citizen discount. For more articles like this, check out TechiestuffPH.com.