CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- Senator Lito Lapid has filed Senate Bill 2169 seeking to expand discount and exempt senior citizens from the value added tax or VAT.
Lapid said his proposed bill, if passed into a law, will increase the current 50 percent discount from the current 100 kilowatt hours (kWh) of power and the previous 30 cubic meters of water consumption for the elderly.
Under the proposal, a five percent discount on the first 150 kilowatt hours of electricity consumption and a minimum of five percent discount on senior citizens' first 50 cubic meters of water consumption.
Lapid also seeks to exempt senior citizens from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) if their names reflect in the utility bill.
Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010 currently limits the application of the five percent discount for seniors as long as it does not exceed 100 kilowatt hour on electric consumption and 30 cubic meters of water use.
Lapid said many senior citizens are marginalized and subsist on their meager pensions, which many times is not enough to cover their food, medicine and other basic necessities.
He said some relief through the proposed Senate Bill 2169 will be beneficial to the elderly.
"It is also a way for us to show gratitude and support to senior citizens who made significant contributions to the country's economy during their youth. Any form of aid, assistance, or support that we can give to senior citizens serves a meaningful gesture to convey our love, affection, and concern for their invaluable contributions to our society," Lapid said.