Empowerment key to senior citizen, PWD laws

It is unfortunate that the benefits granted by Republic Act No. 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010) and RA 10754 (Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of PWD) have not yet trickled down to a substantial proportion of the senior citizen and persons with disability (PWD) population in the country.Several reported violations by business establishments (BEs) regarding the failure to grant the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT) exemption and 20 percent senior citizen/PWD discounts have proliferated and remain unresolved. Among others, this scenario is further triggered allegedly by the lack of awareness of the seniors/PWDs regarding laws, benefits, or privileges affecting them; negligence by some government agencies (GAs) to ensure compliance by the BEs of the said laws; and the selfishness of some BEs in not complying with these laws due our seniors/PWDs. An example of this is the recent move by a popular coffee shop chain to issue a policy of “one food, one drink per visit” by senior/PWD which is a blatant violation of the aforesaid laws.

To address this continuing debacle, I would like to suggest that the value of cooperation and a tripartite approach be instituted amongst the beneficiaries (seniors/PWDs), GAs, and BEs:

beneficiaries (seniors/PWDs) should be fully aware of the laws/benefits/privileges affecting them and clamor for its proper implementation;

GAs (Office of Senior Citizens Affairs (Osca)/National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) and Persons With Disability Affairs Office (PDAO)/National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA)) should monitor the proper implementation and strict enforcement of the laws;

BEs (restaurants, domestic airlines, drugstores, groceries, etc.) should be responsible and compliant with the laws, especially the granting of 12 percent VAT exemption and 20 percent senior/PWD discount.

Most importantly, our senior citizens/PWDs need to be empowered through:

full awareness of the senior citizen/PWD laws/benefits/privileges;

vigilance in demanding for the said benefits/privileges from BEs;

filing of a complaint with proper GAs (Osca/PDAO); if needed, initiating a formal case in court;

persuading legislators to activate their “oversight committee functions” in requiring GAs and/or BEs to submit a report/summon alleged violators of said laws;

making representations (via associations of seniors/PWDs) for Osca/NCSC; PDAO/NCDA to be more proactive/purposive in the dissemination of senior citizen/PWD laws, benefits, privileges.

It takes “empowered” senior citizens and PWDs to ensure the full trickling down of the benefits/privileges due them!

Emiliano M. Manahan Jr., onan512004@t