Our senior citizens and persons with disability (PWDs) should be truly grateful for the new and additional benefits due to them such as the granting of P10,000 cash incentives to seniors aged 80, 85, 90, and 95 per Republic Act No. 11982 or the amendments to the Centenarians Act of 2016; and the increase of goods discount from P65 to P125 per week for purchases of basic necessities and prime commodities for both seniors and PWDs per a joint administrative order among the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Energy effective March 25.
Filipino senior citizens and PWDs are said to be the most pampered sectors compared to those in other countries in the world.
Given these additional benefits, on top of the other existing benefits, all the more reason that both senior citizens and PWDs should be “empowered” i.e., in knowing these laws and benefits for them to fully avail of the said benefits; in bringing to the attention of government implementing agencies cases of violations by business establishments in granting to them said benefits (such as the 20-percent discounts and 12-percent VAT exemptions on goods and services, etc.) for the said GIAs to adequately perform their functions/duties to safeguard the proper implementation of the said laws; and in filing complaints/cases against the BEs that do not fully comply with the senior citizen/PWD laws/benefits for BEs to be faithful in extending the benefits due to the senior citizens and PWDs.
Let it be said, therefore, that “with great power comes great responsibility.” It is only when our senior citizens and PWDs have become truly “empowered” in ensuring that they are completely aware of the laws and can fully avail of benefits—that they have the reason to clamor for more.
Emiliano M. Manahan Jr.,
author and advocate
onan512004@yahoo.com