MANILA – Starting in March, the monthly grocery discount for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will be raised to P500.
A trade official suggested that the request made by Speaker Martin Romualdez to increase the discount might be implemented next month.
“We’re working so that the usual P65 per week discount for senior citizens and PWDs may be increased to P125,” Trade Undersecretary Carolina Sanchez said, which means an increase to P500 from the current P260 monthly discount on groceries and other commodities.
Romualdez previously called for an increase in the five percent grocery discount allotted to seniors and PWDs on a weekly basis, which is presently capped at a total purchase value of P1,500, resulting in a P65 weekly discount.
He argued that this arrangement is no longer suitable, considering the escalating cost of living.
“I am delighted to welcome the imminent implementation of increased discounts for our senior citizens and PWDs,” he said.
Sanchez noted that while the process of consultation with stakeholders is still ongoing, the necessary inter-agency circular to implement the additional discount would likely be issued and take effect in March.
“It’s a joint issuance between the DA (Department of Agriculture), DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) and the DOE (Department of Energy),” she said.
The discount encompasses essential goods and staple commodities such as rice, corn, bread, meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, sugar, vegetables, fruits, onions, and garlic, as well as fresh and processed milk, with the exception of medical-grade milk, clarified Sanchez.
Moreover, manufactured items like processed meat, sardines, and corned beef are also included, except for premium brands.
Basic construction materials such as cement, hollow blocks, and electrical supplies, including bulbs, are likewise covered.
However, premium items, including non-essential foods like cakes and pastries, do not qualify for discounts, Sanchez pointed out.
Sanchez and other officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) held a meeting with Romualdez on Tuesday night to discuss the proposal.
Seniors are set to receive added benefits as President Marcos recently signed into law the Expanded Centenarian Act, granting a P10,000 cash gift to individuals reaching the age of 80 and every five years thereafter until reaching age 95, as highlighted by Romualdez.
Present ID, booklet
Seniors are still mandated to present identification documents to avail themselves of the 20 percent discount on medicines, as outlined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In a recent advisory, the FDA emphasized that seniors must also carry a purchase slip booklet to document the over-the-counter medicines they buy.
Additionally, a doctor’s prescription for purchasing over-the-counter medicines is no longer necessary, the FDA stated.
Previously, the FDA urged drug outlets and other establishments to improve the implementation of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
You have a unique writing style.