Art2ro Posted January 28, 2010 Posted January 28, 2010 To answer your questions concerning the Senior Citizen's 20% Discount Card, read the following links below and determine for yourselves who can qualify. The reason why I included the "Community Property Laws", is because it's relevant on the basis of qualifications. Due to the ambiguous nature of RP laws, Foreigner's pensions, may be considered as "Community Property" on a case by case basis. So in other words, the foreigner's spouse if at the age of 60 or above may not qualify for the Senior Citizen's privilege based on the "Community Property Laws" of the Philippines! This "Community Property Law" article is a lengthy read and all may not understand what's been worded in order to comprehend the law as stated. I hope this info I provided will help in answering all of your questions concerning this subject matter. Senior Citizen 20% Discount Card, http://www.gov.ph/cat_labor/ra7432.aspThe current approved expanded Senior Citizen's 20% Discount Card, http://www.mb.com.ph...emption-seniors"Community Property Laws" of the Philippines,http://www.chanroble...eorderno209.htm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted January 28, 2010 Posted January 28, 2010 GMA cool to VAT break for seniors Link to this story She wants more taxes, not less and I really do not think anyone in government cares how the elderly might need the break. What do you think? Also, I wonder how small stores would be kept in check? What would stop them from doing a sale to friends, family or to just keep some of the VAT and then use an older's persons id for the sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMason Posted January 29, 2010 Posted January 29, 2010 GMA cool to VAT break for seniors Link to this story She wants more taxes, not less and I really do not think anyone in government cares how the elderly might need the break. What do you think? Also, I wonder how small stores would be kept in check? What would stop them from doing a sale to friends, family or to just keep some of the VAT and then use an older's persons id for the sale? I think the 20% discount for low-income seniors is already a generous program. I don't see why seniors should be exempted from VAT on top of the discount they already receive. Of course, a 12% VAT is an obscenely high tax rate and should be cut for everyone, not just seniors. As for the fraud aspect, nothing stops smaller stores from doing that....its not just the govt. that is corrupt, the average Filipino has the same corruption issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 (edited) I just noticed this subject matter once again crop up on another forum on Yahoo Group! It has been noted by the Chamber of Commerce in Subic due to complaints from business establishments that foreigners have been using the Senior Citizen Discount Cards! Yes, it is illegal to do so by foreigners and also by Fil/Ams even though one may have reacquired Philippine citizenship! Just reread the Republic Act 9257! Read and heed the warnings so that one won't be prosecuted if caught in the act using these Senior Citizen Discount Cards illegally! Ignorance of the law is no excuse! This program is implemented by the Philippine BIR and DSWD in which they can audit and trace the illegal users easily enough! Does anyone want to take that chance? Here's the copy of the original message: The Subic Chamber has been receiving complaints from several businessestablishments, especially hotels and restaurants, concerning the possiblyillegal use of senior citizen cards, especially by some retired foreigners whoare mostly from outside the Subic Freeport. While the Subic Chamber supports theSenior Citizens Act, we do not condone abuses.To clarify, Section 2 of Republic Act 9257 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of2003) defines that:(a) Senior citizen or elderly shall mean any resident citizen ofthe Philippines at least sixty (60) years old;The above is very clear and the operative word is. A foreignermay be a permanent resident but not necessarily a Philippine citizen. Anon-Philippine citizen, therefore, cannot legally acquire a Philippine seniorcitizen card.Business establishments are well within their rights to respectfully ask forproof of Filipino citizenship. Rule III, Article 5, Section 5.5 of RA 9257Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) states that:5.5 IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT â€" refers to any document or proof of being asenior citizen which shall be used for the availment of benefits and privilegesunder the law, such as the following: a) Identification card issued by the City or Municipal Mayor/Office ofSenior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) or of the barangay captain of the place where thesenior citizen or the elderly resides; b) The passport of the elderly person or senior citizen concerned; and c) Other documents that establish the senior citizen or elderly person isa citizen of the Republic and who is at least sixty (60) years of age.It may be worth mentioning also the great risks facing offenders. Section 10(Penalties) of the same act states that:If the offender is an alien or a foreigner, he shall be deportedimmediately after the service of the sentence [six months or more imprisonment]without further deportation proceedings. We hope this clarifies this issue. Sincerely, Prof. Danny Piano Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce Bldg. 398A Schley Road Extension SRF Compound, SBFZ 2222 PI Tel No: +63 47 252-3180 Fax No: +63 47 252-3190 Website: www.subicchamber.org Edited March 5, 2011 by Art2ro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 5, 2011 Author Posted March 5, 2011 BTW, since I mentioned about Fil/Ams not qualifying for the Senior Citizen Discount card even though they have reacquired Philippine citizenship and even though there is no mention of it in the contents of the Republic Act, it is just of my own opinion since I also read a post on another forum, where one member using TRICARE and had hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of medical bills and the hospital even gave him a Senior Citizen Disount of over P30,000! I guess the hospital didn't know about the RA 9257 rules, regulations and qualifications!IMHO and from what I've realized, is that this RA9257 was meant for Senior Citizens living in poverty conditions and that's why this Republic Act came to be which came under and implemented by the (DSWD) Department of Social Welfare and Development and monitored by the Philippine BIR for the business establishments when they file their annual income tax! So, would anyone say that an individual who can afford hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of medical bills, living in a poverty condition? I rest my case! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 So, would anyone say that an individual who can afford hundreds of thousands of pesos worth of medical bills, living in a poverty condition? I rest my case! I would need to know if you mean before or after they pay the medical bill. For me, I would be living in poverty after a bill like that.But about the senior citizen discount, I have issues with the names the Philippines puts on things. If you are correct then it should be a senior's poverty discount. Its like the Express Fee at the BI when there is nothing Express about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 6, 2011 Author Posted March 6, 2011 Here's a link below that's more concise and an in depth explanation of the Senior Citizen Discount Card from the Philippine BIR which shouldn't leave any doubts to whomever shall read this! ftp://ftp.bir.gov.ph/webadmin1/pdf/52407RR%207-2010.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 6, 2011 Posted March 6, 2011 Thank you Art for the clarification of the Senior Citizen 20% discount. The basic intention was for the poor folksto avoid paying all those VAT's and other tax surcharges. Respectfully -- Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art2ro Posted March 14, 2011 Author Posted March 14, 2011 This topic came up again on another forum and we all went on a merry-go-round ride! To make this story short, all the current up to date information concerning the Senior Citizen 20% Discount card is on the DSWD website and you can view and download all the Republic Act PDF files pertaining to the SCD cards: http://ncmb.dswd.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=1:l&Itemid=53Sorry, foreigners are still not qualified to avail the SCD card, but their Filipino "Dual Citizenship" spouses are, at the age of 60 and above and there's no longer a minimum income requirement! You all can read for yourselves all the Republic Acts and it's revisions concerning the Senior Citizen Act of 2010. All the benefits and privileges are all fully explained in the PDF files on the DSWD website, which should remove any doubts on anyone's mind about this program for the Filipino senior citizen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Posted March 14, 2011 Posted March 14, 2011 This topic came up again on another forum and we all went on a merry-go-round ride! To make this story short, all the current up to date information concerning the Senior Citizen 20% Discount card is on the DSWD website and you can view and download all the Republic Act PDF files pertaining to the SCD cards: http://ncmb.dswd.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_phocadownload&view=category&id=1:l&Itemid=53Sorry, foreigners are still not qualified to avail the SCD card, but their Filipino "Dual Citizenship" spouses are, at the age of 60 and above and there's no longer a minimum income requirement! You all can read for yourselves all the Republic Acts and it's revisions concerning the Senior Citizen Act of 2010. All the benefits and privileges are all fully explained in the PDF files on the DSWD website, which should remove any doubts on anyone's mind about this program for the Filipino senior citizen! Seems straight forward to me. Thanks again Art -- Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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