Bill seeks terminal fee exemption for seniors

MANILA, Philippines—A bill seeking to grant terminal fee exemption to indigent senior citizen has been filed at the House of Representatives.

Quezon City Representative Winston “Winnie” Castelo filed House Bill 5184 granting “terminal fee exemption to indigent senior citizens” that she said “would be deemed as a refund on their labor, toil, and faithfulness to the government.”

“This exemption should be a gesture for the government to acknowledge their hard work across time and help them ease their burden of having to pay for terminal fees every time they travel,” Castelo said.

Senior citizens, he said, have immensely contributed to nation building and dedicated their lives to the betterment of the community.

“For the longest time, they have been paying their taxes but have not recouped in material terms what is due them. They continue to give without reproach and still work hard to improve their lot and that of their loved ones,” he said.

According to the lawmaker, existing laws have not sufficiently addressed the various needs of senior citizens.

“Owing to their physical constitution, growing frail and sickly on account of their old age, they can hardly be gainfully employed as to defray every government-imposed fee,” he said.
The lawmaker said that the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which allows fares for domestic air and sea travel including advanced booking be subjected to the 20 percent discount and VAT exemption, does not cover terminal fees.

He cited the concern of some senior citizens who are demanding that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) grant the elderly 20 percent discount in terminal fee being collected by airports for departing passengers.

Earlier this November, President Benigno Aquino III signed a bill into law providing automatic healthcare coverage to senior citizens through the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

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