A MEMBER of the Cebu City Council urged lawmakers to review certain provisions of the law providing rights for senior citizens, especially during emergencies.
Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover made a privilege speech during the council’s regular session on Wednesday, August 10, 2022, in which he shared his experience buying medicines in a drugstore.
Alcover, who is a senior citizen, said he was forced to fall in line after his representative failed to bring an authorization letter.
The councilor brought up Section 4 of the Expanded Citizen Act of 2010, which provides express or priority lanes for senior citizens.
According to Alcover, the provision does not provide any exceptions during emergencies wherein representatives of the elderly cannot present an authorization letter. The representative will not be entertained and will have to go to the regular lane, he said.
“Unya nganong lisud-lisudon man ang mga representatives sa senior citizens na igo raman sila mipalit og tambal alang niini (Why make it hard when representatives are only there to buy medicines for senior citizens)?” Alcover said. (IRT, PJB)