Benefits of Senior Citizen in the Philippines, How to Apply?
Getting a Senior Citizen’s ID in the Philippines
Senior Citizens, as we all know, can have most of the beneficial and the best benefits that an individual can have. This fact is just rightful and just because of their capabilities such as their age, their contributions when they were younger, and other factors that make up their well-being. Some people are not really convinced when one says that they already are part of the senior citizen group so one thing you can count on is the senior citizen ID. Many Senior Citizen in Puerto Galera have not yet applied for their ID card. In this article, you are going to learn how you can get your very own senior citizen ID.
Just like any other ID you can apply to, getting a senior citizen ID also has requirements. The things you need to prepare are:
Birth Certificate
1 x 1 Colored Photo
Valid ID
Prepare all these prior to you going to the Municipal’s office of the senior citizen’s affair to have your ID processed and validated.
The procedure is simple, you just need to go to your Municipal’s Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affair and apply for an ID. Ask someone from your family to accompany you with this process because this might take a couple of minutes to an hour. They will ask you to fill out the information like:
Complete name
Date of Birth
Complete Address
Other Personal Information
This is the reason why getting someone in your family comes in handy so that they can write it down for you but the staff can also help you out on that. After filling it out, they will ask you for your signature. This one is critical for you need to ensure that your signature is the one you use for everything because it can be voided.
Getting a Senior Citizen ID can give or allow you benefits that you can use in order to be more comfortable and for you to be favored. Things like:
Discounts on Public Transportation (Although jeepneys and vans do not require this) Trains, cabs, and other more formal rides require this.
Having a senior citizen ID can allow you to pass through long lines in paying your bills like your electricity bill, your phone bills, your water bills, anything.
Given the fact that you have been here longer than other youngsters, you have the privilege or discounts on a lot of things which some of which may include entertainment, utilities, etc.
Getting a Senior Citizen ID can slightly be a hassle of course given the fact that you are not very flexible or patient enough but it will be worth it after you get it because you now can get to enjoy the privileges, rewards, and benefits of being a senior citizen.
These are the benefits if you avail the senior citizen’s ID
Twenty Percent (20%) discount and VAT exemption
– Medical-related privileges – 20% discount shall apply to the purchase of medicine and drug, essential medical supplies, accessories and equipment. Medical and dental services in private facilities, professional fees for attending physicians, professional fees of licensed health workers proving home health care services. For complete details visit this page.
– Domestic transportation privileges – The fare for domestic air and sea travel, including advanced booking, shall be subject to the 20% discount and VAT exemption, if applicable. Fare in public railways, including LRT, MRT, and PNR, fares in buses (PUB), jeepneys (PUJ), taxi and shuttle services (AUV), are likewise subject to the 20% discount and VAT exemption.
– Hotels, restaurants, recreational centers, and places of leisure, and funeral services – For complete details on this discount please visit this page.
– Recreations centers –The discount shall be for the utilization of services in the form of; Fees, Charges and rental for sports facilities or equipment, including golf cart rentals and green fees, Venues for ballroom dancing, yoga, badminton courts, bowling lanes, table or lawn tennis, workout gyms, martial arts facilities.
– Admission fees privilege – The discount shall be applied to admission fees charged by, theaters, cinema houses and concert halls, circuses, carnivals, and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement such as museums and parks.
– Funeral and burial services – The beneficiary or any person who shall shoulder the funeral and burial expenses of the deceased senior citizen, shall claim the discount under this Rule for the deceased senior citizen upon presentation of the death certificate.
Expenses cover are: casket, embalming, cremation cost, and other related services such as viewing or wake cost, pick-up from the hospital morgue, transport of the body to the intended burial site in the place of origin
Other Privileges
– Income tax exemption – The senior citizen shall be entitled to exemption from the payment of the individual income tax, provided he/she is considered to be minimum wage earner in accordance with Republic Act No. 9504.
– Exemption from training fees – The senior citizen shall be exempted from training fees for socio-economic programs conducted by private and government agencies subject to the guidelines issued by the DTI, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the DA, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Science and Technology – Technology Resource Center (DOST – TRC).
– Free medical and dental services in government facilities – Medical and dental services, diagnostic and laboratory tests requested by the physician such as, x-ray, blood test, etc.
– Free vaccinations for indigent senior citizens– The DOH shall administer free vaccinations against the influenza virus and pneumococcal disease for indigent senior citizen patients.
– Educational privileges – Educational assistance shall be granted to senior citizens to pursue post secondary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education in both public and private schools through provision of scholarships, grants, financial aid, subsidies and other incentives to qualified senior citizens
– Benefits and privileges for retirees – To the extent practicable and feasible, the senior citizen shall be granted the continuance of the same benefits and privileges given by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Social Security System (SSS) and PAG-IBIG, as the case may be, as are enjoyed by those in active service.
– Privileges on granting special discounts in special programs – To the extent possible, the government may grant special discounts in special programs for senior citizens on purchase of basic necessities and prime commodities, Provided, that such special programs and their guidelines shall be developed by the concerned department within the concerned department’s jurisdiction.
– Express lanes privileges – Accessible express lanes for senior citizens shall be provided in all private, banking, commercial, and government establishments; in the absence thereof, priority shall be given to them.
Utility Discounts
For utility discounts, please refer to this page for complete details
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