Philippines Senior Card

[Imaginos]

Being an old fart, I continually get offered a senior's discount when I inquire about the price of some service or product. They quote me a better price then when the transaction is about to complete, they ask to see my senior's card. So the question is can I get one, and if so, how?

Thanks.

[Lee]

Visit the Senior Citizen’s Affairs Office (OSCA) in the city or municipality where you reside

https://filipiknow.net/senior-citizen-id/#how-to-apply-for-senior-citizen-id-5-steps

[scott h]

6 hours ago, Imaginos said:

So the question is can I get one, and if so, how?

This topic pops up every year or so. To the best of my research unless you are a Philippine citizen you are not eligible to be issued a senior ID. Businesses may offer you a discount, but that is entirely up to them. There have been some instances where foreigners were issued a senior ID, but that is most likely because the issuing office did not understand the law.

If you look at the ID requirements to apply, you will see that a Philippine birth certificate is required.

Having said all that, what I do is when paying for a meal or whatever, I hand over my wife's card, if they discount the entire bill or separate my order from my wife's is entirely up to them, but it runs to about 90% that the entire bill is discounted.

[Mike J]

As @scott hposted, you must be a Philippine citizen to avail the card.  Non-citizens who obtain and use a card are in violation of the law as well as the person(s) who issued the card.

[BrettGC]

1 hour ago, scott h said:

Having said all that, what I do is when paying for a meal or whatever, I hand over my wife's card, if they discount the entire bill or separate my order from my wife's is entirely up to them, but it runs to about 90% that the entire bill is discounted

We to exactly the same thing with MiL's card.  

[hk blues]

6 hours ago, scott h said:

This topic pops up every year or so. To the best of my research unless you are a Philippine citizen you are not eligible to be issued a senior ID. Businesses may offer you a discount, but that is entirely up to them. There have been some instances where foreigners were issued a senior ID, but that is most likely because the issuing office did not understand the law.

If you look at the ID requirements to apply, you will see that a Philippine birth certificate is required.

Having said all that, what I do is when paying for a meal or whatever, I hand over my wife's card, if they discount the entire bill or separate my order from my wife's is entirely up to them, but it runs to about 90% that the entire bill is discounted.

If they try to only discount part of the bill you could always say your wife is greedy and everything is for her!

As always, there is a simple solution as to deciding how much to discount if only they wanted to utilise it.  They can simply pro-rata the discount to number of meals i.e. 1 meal 100%; 2 meals 50% and so on.  But, as we know, ambiguity is king here as it leaves lots of room for interpretation and that leads to you know what! 

[craftbeerlover]

You can get a golf senior card though, and I have successfully used that multiple times

[Imaginos]

19 hours ago, craftbeerlover said:

You can get a golf senior card though, and I have successfully used that multiple times

So how do you get a golf senior card then?

[craftbeerlover]

1 hour ago, Imaginos said:

So how do you get a golf senior card then?

Most clubs you need to join to get the card, there are a couple clubs that will allow you to get the senior card if you play there.

[Rooster]

Don't shoot the messenger. A Foreigner illegally using or possessing a Senior "Citizen" Card risks arrest, prison, then deportation.

 

.REPUBLIC ACT No. 9994

5.1 SENIOR CITEZEN OR ELDERLY - refers to any Filipino citizen who is a resident of the Philippines, and who is sixty (60) years old or above. It may apply to senior citizens with "dual citizenship" status provided they prove their Filipino citizenship and have at least six (6) months residency in the Philippines.

Article 24. PENALTIES - Any person who refuses to honor the senior citizen card or violates any provision of the Act and its Rules shall suffer the following penalties

Section 4. If the offender is an or alien a foreigner, he/she shall be deported immediately after service of sentence without further deportation proceedings.

https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2010/ra_9994_2010.html

 

 

Edited June 19 by Rooster