Press Release
May 14, 2007

34% DISCOUNT PRIVILEGES FOR THE ELDERLY, A CLEAR-CUT STEP TOWARDS HEALTH CARE PROVISION -- ANGARA

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today vowed to further help the elderly in the next congress with the passage of the amendments to the Senior Citizens Act or the Angara Law.

A paper by Asst. Sec. Ruel Lucentales of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) stated that despite the characteristics of Filipinos to give high regard to the elderly, the elderly remains vulnerable to neglect as the pressure of economic survival impinge on Filipino families.

The 1:11 ratio of elderly to the number of working people to support the elderly in 1970 is estimated to shift to 1:6 by 2020. This means that for 1 elderly, there are only 6 people of productive age to support them.

Thus providing health care and other social services to the our senior citizens remains a State responsibility, says Angara, principal author of the Senior Citizens Act.

We must provide policies and programs that will benefit the elderly. They have for so many years contributed to the countrys growth. We owe it to them to return the favor.

Senator Angara is pushing for the increase in discount privileges from 20% to 34% for the elderly needs to medicine and quality health care.

Senior Citizens Act or the Angara Law entitles all senior citizens to a full 20% discount on the purchase of goods, services, medical and dental services, transport fare, funeral and burial services, among others.

However, due to the 12% Value Added Tax (VAT), our senior citizens are able to avail only of an 8% discount.

To counter this, I am pushing for a 34% increase in discount privileges. This is not the answer to all the senior citizens problems but it is a clear-cut step towards health care provision to the elderly.

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