‘Sana all’

In tune with the holiday mood, we take a respite from the usual vexations to one’s spirit. If only for a brief period, it is also good for one’s health to avoid stress and other irritants that can make blood pressure shoot up for those with hypertensive condition. While enjoying the stress-free holiday, people with uncontrolled blood pressure must watch out, however, about binge eating and drinking in parties, family reunions and other Christmas gathering.

Thus, it was pleasant news that senior citizens availing of their 20 percent discount and exemption from the 12 percent value added tax (VAT) are no longer required to present their purchase booklet for medicines. The Department of Health (DOH) announced last Monday that drugstores must just honor the senior citizens’ cards in their purchases of prescribed and over-the-counter medicines. Aside from senior citizens’ identification cards for people aged 60 years old and above, they are also issued with purchase booklets that are previously required to be presented in order to avail of discount and VAT exemption entitlements.

DOH Administrative Order No. 2024-0017 removed this requirement of purchase booklet, which is provided for under Republic Act (RA) 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010. Aside from booklet for medicine, senior citizen cardholders also have a separate booklet for grocery, and some even get a movie booklet. These are issued by the Senior Citizens’ Office of the respective local government units (LGUs) where they are registered residents.

Actually, the previously required booklet for medicines for senior citizens is redundant. After all, drugstores set limits on purchase of up to 30 tablets or capsules, or good for one month consumption only. Since senior citizen cards have specific designated control numbers, these purchases are automatically encoded for purposes of monitoring by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on VAT deductions.

We could only be grateful to our Senior Citizens party-list Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” Odanes for pushing hard the lifting of this requirement through House Resolution No. 253. Adopted unanimously at the House of Representatives last Sept. 25, Resolution 253 was officially transmitted to DOH.

“Thank you very much for the action DOH, on behalf of all senior citizens nationwide,” said panel chairman Rep. Ordanes, who is also a member of the House’s committee on health, after the DOH chief finally heeded their appeal, although it was based on a non-binding House Resolution.

“We also hope that this policy included our persons with disability, who also have discount booklets. They also buy medicines and medical devices. Unnecessary the booklet is. Finally, the DOH is enlightened on this,” Odanes added.

Persons with disability, or PWD for short, is the politically correct term for those who we visibly identify with a physical handicap. Other specific politically correct terms include “hearing-impaired” for deaf and “sight-challenged” for blind people and are all considered PWDs.

The PWDs also enjoy the same mandated discount privileges given to senior citizens. However, PWD cards have lately become controversial, with rampant reports of people flagrantly using it even if they are not diagnosed as PWD. It is really difficult to ascertain cases of disabilities that are not discernable by sight.

For example, I know a PWD cardholder who is “bipolar” and is under treatment. A person who has this mental health condition experiencess extreme mood swings. Persons afflicted with this condition would appear to be regular and functional. But a bipolar person experiences periods of being extremely “up,” elated, irritable or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) and very “down,” sad, indifferent or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).

If this mental health condition is defined this way, actually, there a lot of people who could be considered bipolar.

But to qualify for a PWD discount card, one must first undergo tests by qualified and accredited neurologists or psychologists who would certify their mental health condition. Once certified, they will apply with their barangay clearance and medical certificate. These in turn will be submitted to LGUs which have their own local social welfare offices that issue PWD cards and booklets.

Cancer-stricken persons are automatically enrolled as PWD cardholders, not that I wish people to get sick just to qualify for PWD discount. My late sister was immediately enrolled by her oncologist after she was diagnosed with advanced stage of breast cancer. That’s how I came to know about this.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian earlier sought to investigate the proliferation of alleged “fake” PWD cards coming out in social media. At the Senate public hearing last Dec. 5, Gatchalian noted with concern a total of P42.3-billion discounts were legitimately granted to PWDs, while P166.1-billion discounts were given to fake PWD card holders in 2023 alone on VAT exemptions and the deductions in the corporate income tax to cover for the PWD discount.

Not surprisingly, the BIR vowed a nationwide crackdown on the alleged sale and use of fake PWD IDs.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Monday deplored the purported proliferation of “fake” PWD cards as a serious violation of RA 10754, amending the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons that provided PWDs with 20 percent discount and exemption from VAT on certain goods and services.

The CHR also welcomed reported efforts of government agencies to address the issue, including the proposed unified ID system of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The CHR called upon all sectors of society, including businesses, organizations and the general public, to report any users of “fake” PWD cards.

For some of the rich LGUs, many senior citizens and PWDs enjoy Christmas bonanza of additional “ayuda” – from cash gifts to grocery items distributed out of taxpayers money. After all, this is the Christmas before the May 2025 elections.

For the greater benefit of all of us Filipinos, Congress should pass a law to exempt all prescription medicines from 12 percent VAT.

As one popular expression goes: “Sana all.” Merry Christmas to one and all.