MANILA, Philippines - First the good news: it is reported that the Department of Finance has no objections to a bill filed by Sen. Loren B. Legarda, increasing the senior citizen (SC) discount rate from 20 percent to 32 percent. Legarda said the change was necessary in order ?to adjust to recent events and social realities and thus, effectively address the health concerns of our senior citizens.? The major items covered by the SC law are medicines purchased by elderly members of society.
The bad news: We continue to receive complaints from senior citizens concerning difficulties in the purchase of their medical requirements from Mercury Drug outlets.
Mrs. Rosalinda T. Cordero of Angeles City writes: ?I suffer from hypertension, vertigo, arthritis and diabetes so I need to buy and take medicines throughout my lifetime. My husband has a heart problem and suffers from hypertension, diabetes and arthritis, so both of us need maintenance medicine.
?We buy our medicine from Mercury Drug outlets here in our place once a month or when there are available funds. Lately and starting last week, the Mercury Drug outlets informed us that they can only give us one week?s supply of medicine. It is according to them, a new policy of the biggest chain of drugstores in the Philippines.
?Some senior citizens like us complain about this new order. Our kumadre can?t even walk alone. She has osteoporosis and arthritic knees. My husband?s brother is already wheelchair-bound, hypertensive and a diabetic, while my brother has emphysema and difficulty of breathing. Another friend lives alone and goes out only once a month to buy his medicine. He is too old and weak to do this routine often.
?Can you help the senior citizens by calling the attention of Mercury Drug, to have mercy on these people by not imposing that new policy? You did it with the KFC chain of restaurants. From the day I read about KFC?s treatment to the elderly, we stopped patronizing it.
?Most of us are already in the twilight of our years, weak and sickly. Thank you very much.?
This situation is quite unusual. For some time now, I have been purchasing my medicines from Mercury Drug outlets in Quezon City and at no time have they imposed a limit of one week?s supply of medicines for senior citizens. At most, a limit of one month?s supply had been imposed but certainly not one week.
Calling the attention of Mercury Drug?s president, Ms Vivian Ascona. Is this a new company policy or is there some miscommunication that has led to the situation in Angeles City? We would appreciate your looking into the problem and keeping us informed.
I suggest also to Mrs. Cordero to take up the matter with the Angeles City Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA).
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There are continuing complaints from senior citizens regarding the non-implementation of the full 20 percent discount in restaurants. At the US Embassy?s Election Watch Party, our colleague, Mahar Mangahas, related his recent experience at a restaurant in Quezon City. After presenting his senior citizen card he noted that he was granted only a 5 percent discount. He immediately complained to the manager and after some discussion, the full 20 percent was granted. We must continue to assert our rights. This is no time to remain meek and humble in the face of incompetence or ignorance of the law. At the same time, let us also make sure we do not abuse the privilege.
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Last month, a senior citizen from Calapan City, Mr. Carlo Castillo, wrote to complain about his SC ID card issued by Calapan City Mayor Paulino Leachon. The card listed the benefits and privileges of senior citizens granted under Rep. Act No. 9257. Unfortunately, it mentioned that the 20 percent discount for medicines covered ?unbranded, generic medicines.? This resulted in his being denied his benefits under the law. I presume he must have been buying branded medical items.
We called the attention of Mayor Leachon on the matter and the good mayor responded, explaining his actions: ?I value the welfare of our senior citizens. As a matter of fact, I have always supported and sustained local programs that redound to their benefits such as, but not limited to, those that grant them financial assistance and medical and health care benefits.
?Nevertheless, we sincerely apologize for the inadvertent error in the SC card that Mr. Farolan brought to our attention. The oversight was mainly caused by a heavy workload and voluminous documents that are brought to us every day for our official action. To rectify the mistake, I shall immediately recall all OSCA IDs that have been issued so far and replace them with new ones that contain the correct list of benefits and privileges that the senior citizens are entitled to.?
We thank Mayor Leachon for his prompt action on this vital issue involving the welfare of senior citizens. We hope his constituents as well as senior citizens all over the country will benefit from the experience of Mr. Castillo.
While the matter has been largely resolved by Mayor Leachon?s response there is still another aspect of Mr. Castillo?s complaint that should be addressed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). In his letter-complaint, Mr. Castillo mentioned that in a federation meeting, the head of the local DSWD was in attendance. When asked about the problem her answer was: ?This ID was issued by the national federation and further, the pharmaceutical companies were not consulted before Rep. Act No. 9257 was passed.?
Her answers indicated gross ignorance of a law that she was supposed to be familiar with, given that the DSWD is the lead agency in the implementation of Rep. Act No. 9257. The error in the ID card issued by Mayor Leachon could have been earlier clarified if the DSWD was more knowledgeable as to the provisions of the law. Incidentally, DSWD Undersecretary Alicia Bala wrote to say that the attention of Calapan City Mayor Leachon was called regarding Castillo?s complaint. Nothing was mentioned about correcting the DSWD shortcomings on the matter.
