Those Filipinos who have worked overseas for a long period of time and have decided to

return home at the age of retirement or even our hardworking elderly in the country may
expect to get their benefits. SSS or Pag-IBIG Fund pensions are the most common source of
benefits for our senior citizens.
 
According to Philippine government regulations, older persons may get discounts on food,
utilities, preferential lane access to public and private services, as well as exemptions from
certain requirements. Senior folks are now entitled to discounts and benefits for the rest of
their lives as soon as they reached the golden age of 60 years old!
 
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010
When it comes to aged care, there has been an evolution through time in the legislation.
Considering the large number of elderly individuals in the nation and the rising concerns of
the older population, the need for inclusive laws and policies became essential.
 
The "Expanded Senior Citizen Act of 2010" or Republic Act No. 9994 is an act providing
for the Mandatory PhilHealth Coverage of Senior Citizens that was adopted on February 15,
2010, respectively, and is the most recent legislation to address the issues of senior citizens.
 
According to this Act, Filipinos are already considered as senior citizens once they reach 60
years old and above.
 
Senior Citizens benefits in the Philippines
A law in the Philippines, Republic Act 9994, outlines the rights and advantages that all
Filipino seniors have. Elderly Filipinos above the age of 60 are eligible for a  20% senior
citizen discount  and are excluded from the value-added tax (VAT) on relevant products and
services for their own use. The best thing about this? Both cash and credit card payments are
eligible for these benefits!
 
Below is the list of discounts and VAT exemptions that our senior citizens may enjoy in the
country:
 Domestic air and sea travel fares
 Funeral and burial services for deceased senior citizens including hospital morgue,
embalming, casket or urn, embalming and cremation services, etc.
 Accommodation and amenities in hotels, beach resorts, mountain resorts, etc.
 Medical and dental services in private facilitiesincluding lab tests such as blood tests, x-
rays, and other diagnostic and laboratory fees
 Essential medical supplies and equipmentthat includes Hearing aids, eyeglasses,
wheelchairs, crutches, dentures, etc.
  Medicinesincluding generic and branded medicines, vitamins, and mineral supplements
as long as there is a doctor’s prescription
 Places of leisurethat includes Cinemas, museums, parks, theaters, concert halls, etc.
 Professional fees of attending physicians and licensed health workers
 Public land transportation faresin jeepneys, buses, taxis, shuttle services, MRT, LRT,
PNR, etc.
 Recreation centers such as Rental and other fees for sports facilities such as gyms,
badminton courts, tennis courts, ballroom dancing studios, bowling lanes, etc.
 Restaurantssuch as food, beverages, dessert, and other consumables for dine-in, take-out,
drive-thru, and delivery orders
 
Many additional benefits are available to the Filipino elderly, other than the 20% discount
for senior citizens and the exclusion from VAT on purchases made by them. Some of the
mandatory benefits for senior citizens are:
 Discounts in special programs for senior citizens
 Express lanes for senior citizens in all government offices and commercial
establishments
 Free flu and pneumococcal vaccinations for indigent senior citizens
 Free medical and dental services in government facilities
 Retirement benefits from SSS, GSIS, and Pag-IBIG
 Scholarships and financial assistance for seniors’ education in public and private schools
 Training fee exemption on socio-economic programs
 
Other discounts and benefits for senior citizens in PH
In order to make it clearer, we explained here briefly how you can claim your senior citizens
on certain establishments and services.
 
Domestic flights discounts
Since September 2017, the country's leading airlines have started giving a 20% senior
citizen discount and a VAT exemption for online reservations for seniors, making travel to
local places more affordable.
 
On their websites and mobile applications, AirAsia, Cebu Pacific, and Philippine Airlines
are offering a senior citizen discount to senior citizen members. Prior to this change, the
discount could only be used for purchases made in person at an actual airline ticket office.
 
A senior citizen discount only applies to ordinary domestic flight rates for those over the
age of 60. There is no coverage for promotional rates, luggage allowance or other fees, or
overseas travel. Customers must submit their senior citizen ID number when purchasing a
flight and display the ID at the airport in order to get the discounted rate.
 
Fast food chains discounts
Seniors in the Philippines get a 20% discount at major fast-food franchises including
Jollibee, McDonald's, Chowking, KFC, Greenwich, and even Mang Inasal. The Senior
Citizen ID is all you need to get the discounted price at the checkout counter. For online
delivery, just provide the senior person's name and senior citizen number.
 
Grabcar rides discounts
Taxi hailing services like Grab, which operate in the Philippines, are required by the LTFRB
and the Department of Transportation to provide a statutory 20 percent discount to elderly
citizens. It is necessary for senior citizens to show their Senior Citizens identification card
with their birthday clearly visible or a legitimate government-issued ID to qualify for this
special offer for them.
 
Groceries discounts
Does a 20% discount on groceries apply to older citizens? It's not possible. Although, there
is a special 5 percent discount on certain food goods that have been given by the
Departments of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture, without excluding
them from paying the sales tax.
 
Those at the age of 60 and above who purchase groceries costing at least Php 1, 300 a week
are entitled to a 5% discount on the retail price of at least four essential needs and premium
commodities that include:
 Chicken, beef, and pork (fresh, canned, and processed)
 Coffee, creamer, and sugar
 Cooking oil and salt
 Detergents
 Electrical supplies, light bulbs, and batteries
 Fresh eggs
 Fresh fruits and vegetables
 Fresh milk and other dairy products
 Garlic and onions
 Geriatric diapers
 Noodles, canned sardines, and canned tuna
 Rice, bread, and corn
 
You must present your OSCA purchase booklet when you buy in supermarkets, convenience
shops, and pharmacy stores in order to take advantage of the 5 % senior discount.
Exceptions to the special discount policy include sari-sari shops, cooperatives, wet markets,
and talipapas.
 
Meralco and other utility bills discounts
Seniors may get a 5% reduction on their utility and water bills if their accounts are
registered in their name and their home utilizes no more than 100 kWh of energy and 30
cubic meters of water in a month.
 
PhilHealth benefits
To ensure that all elderly residents in the Philippines have access to high-quality medical
care, the Philippine government passed Republic Act 10645. PhilHealth is required by law
to provide this coverage to the elderly. This senior discount and VAT exemption are
provided by the government in addition to the senior discount and the senior citizen
discount. PhilHealth benefits are removed from the medical cost first before the 20%
reduction and VAT exemption are taken into consideration.
 
In public hospitals, the No Balance Billing Policy is in effect, which means that elderly
citizens do not have to pay their medical bills.
 
Elderly patients do not need the Member Data Record (MDR) to get treatment; they may use
their senior citizen card or any other government ID instead. However, registering as a
senior citizen PhilHealth member is the best way to take advantage of the advantages more
quickly.
 
Death benefits
A 20% discount is available to the families of deceased elderly people who are buried or
cremated. Hospital morgues, caskets or urns, and embalming and cremation services are all
covered by this death benefit. In addition to this, it is possible for the family to claim an SSS
death benefit if the deceased senior citizen had been an SSS member and had made at least
36 months of contributions prior to the semester in which they died.
 
There is also a funeral benefit that may be claimed by family members who paid for the
burial costs of a senior individual aside from the SSS death benefit. To get this benefit, the
late member must have contributed a certain number of contributions. This benefit ranges
from Php 20, 000 up to Php 40, 000.
 
Computation for the senior citizens discount
In the Philippines, senior citizens are free from paying the Value Added Tax (VAT). To
calculate VAT exempt sales, you must divide the selling price by the applicable VAT rate.
An example of a calculation is shown in the following scenario:
 
A senior citizen bought a product that is worth Php 500 with a VAT Rate of 12 %. The
formula for the computation would be:
 
Selling Price ÷ VAT Rate = VAT Exempt Sales
Php 500 ÷ 1.12 = Php 446.43
Remember that on top of the VAT exempt sales, all products and services purchased by
senior citizens will also get 20% off. In this case, VAT exempt sales should be multiplied by
20% to determine the discount. The formula for this is:
 
VAT Exempt Sales x 20% = Senior Citizen Discount
Php 446.43 x 0.20 = Php 89.29
Finally, the VAT-exempt sales should thus be subtracted by the senior citizen discount in
order to determine the chargeable amount:
VAT Exempt Sales – Senior Citizen Discount = Billable Amount
Php 446.43 – Php 89.29 = Php 357.14