Friday, August 03, 2007 Speak out: Senior citizens By Magno B. Dionson Bando Mandaue-Anak Bisaya
(THIS letter is addressed to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes and members of the Mandaue City Council)
Republic Act No. 9257 grants to senior citizens 20 per cent discount for items they buy.
To senior citizens, this law is laudable because it eases their financial burden.
Unfortunately, this privilege has been affected because 12 percent value added tax has been added to the price of the medicines that the senior citizens buy.
In other words, what the senior citizens are enjoying now is only an 8 percent discount.
In this connection, I suggest that you file a resolution urging President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and the commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue to exempt the 20 percent discount for the items bought by senior citizens from the operation of the value added tax.
This will greatly help them, especially those who are depending only on their meager income or pension for support.
These include war veterans, public school teachers and laborers.
We hope that this matter will be given serious consideration by your administration.
