DTI ordered to raise seniors’ grocery discount to P125 per week

[Lee]

If I recall correctly, the senior discount for plane tickets is 20%-----not an insignificant amount.

12 hours ago, OnMyWay said:

my step-daughter wants to apply at McDonalds.  She already found out that the pay is 62 pesos per hour.

For an 8 hour day this comes to almost 500Php per day. Better than a farm worker.

[scott h]

3 minutes ago, Lee said:

If I recall correctly, the senior discount for plane tickets is 20%

Your right, I just looked it up, just a couple of caveats,,,,book on line, domestic only and only on PAL. I just included the relevant parts

 

For domestic flights booked online, Philippine Airlines is now offering a  20 percent senior citizen (SC) and person with disability (PWD) discount and a 12 percent value added tax (VAT) exemption.

Read more: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/933535/pal-offers-senior-citizen-and-pwd-discount-vat-exemption#ixzz8RrJuuoJK
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[hk blues]

3 hours ago, scott h said:

Agreed, OMW, in fact the senior discount is probably the most abused benefit around.

Closely followed by the PWD! 

[fillipino_wannabe]

5 hours ago, scott h said:

Agreed, OMW, in fact the senior discount is probably the most abused benefit around. I walk through the wet market daily, I have never seen any senior ask for nor receive a senior discount and that is where poor seniors do their shopping. Now where it DOES benifiet the is in medications. 

That is correct, I know a Canadian of Greek ancestry who runs a very successful chain of Italian (go figure lol) restaurants, who I asked about this, they gather up the receipts (quarterly if memory serves) turn them into the government for full reimbursement. So in the end all taxpayers (seniors included) end up paying for the discount.

Where I have seen the discount most used is in restaurants, my wife included. She and a bunch of her upper middle class batchmates meet at a nice restaurant and WHAMO the poor waiter is presented with a dozen or more senior ID's. 

Recall the issue about the senior winning in court over a hotel not giving the discount while A) she could afford a good hotel and B) spend the money for a lawyer did she really NEED a discount?

In a perfect world the senior discount would be means tested, but since political elections are really popularity contests and not issue driven, it will most likely not change.

They're not allowed to use it at wet markets or sari sari stores lol.

Not sure what your friend is doing but the government doesn't reimburse it.

[Mike J]

22 hours ago, scott h said:

That is correct, I know a Canadian of Greek ancestry who runs a very successful chain of Italian (go figure lol) restaurants, who I asked about this, they gather up the receipts (quarterly if memory serves) turn them into the government for full reimbursement. So in the end all taxpayers (seniors included) end up paying for the discount.

I don't think that is correct.  The senior discount is not reimbursed by the government.  It is listed as an expense, which does decrease taxable income by the restaurant.  So it that sense the "expense" of the senior discount is part of the pricing for the meals just as is food, labor, utilities, etc.  The same would apply to any business that is required to give the senior discount.   So it is an expense to revenue, not a tax credit.  I am guessing your friend is filing quarterly income/tax statements with the government?

source = Google "is the senior discount a tax credit or an expense Philippines"

<snip>

The discount is permitted on purchase of a number of items, but is mostly availed of in purchase of medicines and restaurant food. It is available to all senior citizens, age 60 and above, rich or poor. The discount is not a tax credit on the part of the merchant.

<end snip>

[scott h]

31 minutes ago, Mike J said:

I am guessing your friend is filing quarterly income/tax statements with the government?

Your right Mike, I misspoke (mistyped? lol). But the bottom line is it reduces the amount of money the government has to serve the people for what I believe is a perk that is abused by folks (myself included) who can really afford to pay 20% more at TGI Fridays or Mesa Grill.