BAGUIO CITY — A bill increasing the discount rate of senior citizens on utilities from 5 to 10 percent has been filed in the House of Representatives by Baguio Rep. Mark Go.
In a press release to the media on Thursday evening, Go said House Bill 5960 seeks to grant senior citizens a 10-percent discount on their monthly electric and water consumption, provided that their electricity and water consumption does not exceed one hundred kilowatt-hours (100 Kwh) and 30 cubic meters (30 m3) respectively.
Go’s bill is in recognition of the important role of the senior citizens in Philippine society.
He said, “most of the seniors who are working under the informal sectors are not covered by pensions and health care benefits.”
The measure will amend a provision of RA 9994 or the Senior Citizens Act of 2010, which touches on the grant on monthly utility consumption.
The existing law provides that in order for the discount to be granted, individual meters of the utilities must be registered in the name of the senior citizen residing in the house where the utility connection is found.
“It remains a fact that this sector of society is having difficulties to keep up with the relatively rapid economic growth where prices of medicines, health, care, basic goods and commodities, and house utilities are constantly increasing through time,” the proposed measure said.
“This discount increase as an additional relief is what our elderlies have been waiting for,” Go said. (Liza Agoot/PNA)
