Press Release
February 2, 2017

POE BILL PROPOSES 20% DISCOUNT, VAT EXEMPTION FOR 'JUNIOR CITIZENS'

"Junior" citizens--children aged 0 to 12 years--belonging to poor families should equally enjoy a 20-percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) on goods and services for their use and availment.

Sen. Grace Poe has filed Senate Bill No. 1295 or the proposed Junior Citizens Act of 2017 which seeks to grant to junior citizens whose family's annual income does not exceed P250,000 a 20-percent discount and exemption from VAT on medicines, vaccines and essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment.

"Ang mga benepisyong nakapaloob sa ating panukalang batas ay tiyak na makapagbibigay ng subsidiya sa mga pangangailangan ng mga pamilyang mahirap. Dapat maging katuwang ng mahihirap ang gobyerno sa pagpapabuti ng kanilang estado sa buhay," said Poe.

Once enacted into law, junior citizens shall also be entitled to discounts and VAT exemptions on professional fees of attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, home health care services and service providers; on medical and dental services, diagnostics and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatients and home health care services; on admission fees on theaters, cinemas and concert halls, leisure and amusement parks; and on funeral and burial services for junior citizens.

Medical and dental services, diagnostics and laboratory of junior citizens on state-run facilities shall be free of charge and all necessary pediatric vaccinations shall be administered for free.

The measure also makes junior citizens automatic members of state health insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

According to Poe, the bill intends to provide relief to poor Filipino families with children, in the light of rising prices of basic commodities and services.

"This proposed legislation would surely help every poor Filipino family's financial constraints, raise their level of living and improve their quality of life," said Poe.

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