Mayor: Report stores not granting seniors’ discount

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama is calling on the public to report to the City Hall establishments who do not honor the law-mandated senior citizens discount.

This as Rama reiterated he city government’s warning against stores not granting discounts to senior citizens, especially pharmacies who fail to honor discounts for medicines.

“Dapat isira na...taga-e mig lista, kay ato ng isira. They should never be violating,” Rama said in his own program through the city’s Sugboanon channel.

The mayor encouraged those who were not given discounts they deserve, from seniors to persons with disabilities, among others, to report the names of the pharmacies and other establishments.

“We will write them a letter/notice. Taga-e mig mga ngan sa drug stores. Butangan didto, notice. If we do not do it, we will be constrained to close because you are violating the law. No more business permit issued, business permit removed,” Mayor Rama added.

Complaints regarding this matter can be forwarded to the Office of the Senior Citizens’ Affairs for immediate action.

Earlier, Cebu City Councilor Pastor Alcover, who chairs the City Council’s Committee of Senior Citizens, warned establishments in the city following a formal complaint lodged before his office against a pharmacy that allegedly refused to grant discount to a buying senior citizen.

Alcover said they already sent out an invitation to the management of the concerned pharmacy to appear before his office this Monday to shed light on the incident.

Among the provision cited in Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 is the granting of the “20 percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax (VAT), if applicable, on the sale of the following goods and services from all establishments, for the exclusive use and enjoyment or availment of the senior citizen.”

Aside from that, Alcover also disclosed having received complaints against a restaurant, shipping lines, and other establishments that did not honor the senior citizen discount. He, however, refused to name these establishments as no formal complaints were lodged. – ATO (CEBU NEWS)