According to Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr., business establishments should accept any valid ID when giving senior citizens discounts.
He said it is unlawful for businesses to honor only the senior citizen ID issued by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) and refuse to give discounts when senior customers present other valid ID cards that show their age and birthdate.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), he stressed, affirmed that failure to present a senior citizen ID card issued by the OSCA is not a ground for non-availment of discount privileges under Republic Act No. 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.
He further explained that a senior citizen can show other government-issued identification documents listed under Section 5.5 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 9994 that show their birthdate such as a Philippine passport, driver’s license, voter’s ID, Unified Multi-Purpose ID, and postal ID, among others when availing of their discounts.
With this assertion, Cosalan has filed a proposed ordinance penalizing business establishments including drugstores and pharmacies that refuse to recognize other government-issued IDs for the grant of senior citizen discounts.
Under the proposed ordinance, non-compliant establishments shall be fined P2,000.00 for the first offense, P3,000.00 for the second offense, and P5,000.00 for the third offense. In addition to the corresponding penalty, the erring establishment shall be required to submit a written explanation to the City Mayor’s Office within 48 hours after receipt of the notice of violation, stating the reason for not honoring other government-issued IDs.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) shall be responsible for reviewing and monitoring the implementation of the ordinance.
The proposed ordinance has been approved on first reading and referred to the city council’s Committee on Social Services, Women, and Urban Poor for review. **Jordan G. Habbiling
