Food supplements with discounted prices for senior citizens pushed

INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Quezon City council is asking members of Congress to amend the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 by including food and mineral supplements among the items to be sold to senior citizens at a discount.

“Although medicines are covered under the law, food and mineral supplements are not covered notwithstanding the fact that these supplements are very important for the dietary needs and appetite of senior citizens in order to maintain their good health,” the council noted in a resolution passed during its regular session last Monday.

“In order to make food and mineral supplementary products more affordable to senior citizens, there is a need to amend the senior citizens law in order to grant senior citizens with 20 percent discount on the purchase of food and mineral supplements,” said the resolution, addressed to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The law gives discounts on vitamin and mineral supplements prescribed by doctors, but food supplements, such as calcium-fortified powdered milk, are not covered.

Under the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, senior citizens are entitled to exemption from the 12-percent value added tax and a 20 percent discount on purchases of medically prescribed medicines as well as food in restaurants.

They are also entitled to five percent discounts on certain groceries, meat and poultry products, rice, sugar, cooking oil, vegetables and fruit, laundry soap and detergents purchased in limited quantities in supermarkets or grocery stores.