BAGUIO CITY—A bill increasing the discount rate of senior citizens on utilities from 5 percent to 10 percent has been filed in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mark O. Go of the Lone District of Baguio City.
In a press release to the media, Go said House Bill 5960 seeks to grant senior citizens a 10-percent discount on their monthly electric and water consumption, provided their electricity and water consumption does not exceed 100 kilowatt-hours and 30 cubic meters, 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.