Some drugstores still requiring senior booklets despite DOH order

CONVENIENCE Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa describes the scrapping of the purchase slip booklet requirement as a “gift of convenience” for senior citizens.

MANILA, Philippines — Some drugstores still refuse to comply with an order by the Department of Health (DOH) scrapping the requirement for senior citizens to present their purchase slip booklets to avail discounts on medicines a week after the directive was issued.

“Oliver” from Montalban, Rizal, complained that a branch of a large chain drugstore had not yet implemented the DOH policy because “they have not received a memo yet from their upper management.”

Another branch of the same drugstore in Quezon City also refused to comply with the DOH order, because it had not received “an advice to observe the rule.”

READ: DOH: No need for booklets in seniors’ meds purchase

“Nora” posted on her social media that a generic drugs branch in Cabuyao, Laguna, refused to sell discounted medicines because they could not present a purchase booklet, even if she already had her senior citizen’s ID card and a prescription.

Penalties

In a message to the Inquirer, DOH spokesperson Albert Domingo warned that pharmacies and drugstores that refuse to honor discounts for seniors not presenting their purchase booklets may be penalized under Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010.

First-time offenders may be imprisoned for two to six years and fined from P50,000 to P100,000. They may face jail time and be fined up to P200,000 for subsequent violations.

For corporations and other entities, their officials, such as the president and general manager, may be charged with violating the law.

Authorities may cancel or revoke the business permit, permit to operate, or franchise of the violating establishment.

Consistent with law

On Dec. 23, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa signed DOH Administrative Order No. 2024-0017, which removes the requirement for seniors to present a purchase booklet to drugstores to avail themselves of the 20-percent discount on medicines on top of the 12-percent value-added tax exemption.

The revised policy should benefit more than 9 million Filipino senior citizens, who comprise 8.5 percent of the more than 110 million population in the country.

The DOH revised its rules to be “consistent” with RA 9994, which does not require seniors to present a purchase booklet to enjoy these privileges.

For seniors to avail themselves of these discounts, the law only requires them to present an identification card issued by their local Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (Osca), a passport, or any other document that establishes that they are at least 60 years old and above. Drugstores, however, usually only recognize the Osca ID as proof of a senior’s age.

Doctor’s prescriptions are needed for prescription medicines, including maintenance medicines for hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Senior citizens who are refused these privileges may contact the Food and Drug Administration Action Center via telephone Nos. (02) 8857-1900 locals 1000, 2184, 2185, or 2186; (02) 8842-5635, or email [email protected].