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MANILA – House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez said Tuesday they would study the possibility of increasing the discounts on groceries and food supplements for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
In a statement, Romualdez said a technical working group would be convened this week to review the Senior Citizen’s Act to determine how much additional discounts should be provided for senior citizens and PWDs.
He said under the existing law, they receive a 5 percent discount each week on groceries, capped at a total purchase value of PHP1,500, which translates to a weekly discount of PHP65.
"Seniors and PWDs are currently getting a far-too-modest discount of PHP65 on their weekly groceries. We need to increase this," Romualdez said. "This amount is no longer appropriate in the current economic climate, given the high cost of living."
United Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Milagros Magsaysay said Romualdez’s proposal is feasible and could easily be implemented.
"Increasing the value of the grocery budget for seniors or PWDs to, say, PHP5,000 a week, would mean the mandated 5 percent discount would equate to PHP250," Magsaysay said.
Romualdez further suggested that the discounts should not be limited to groceries but also be extended to food supplements and vitamins for the elderly and PWDs.
"Many of our seniors and PWDs need to regularly purchase supplements or vitamins to maintain their health and strengthen their resistance to diseases, so it's only fitting to include these in the discounted items as well," he said. (PNA)
