Guidelines for senior citizens' complaints set

Good news for senior citizens.

The Department of Interior and Local Government has issued procedures in handling senior citizens' complaints, particularly concerning the benefits granted to them by law, including the prescribed complaint form.

The procedures were contained in a memorandum circular issued by Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno to provincial governors, city and municipal mayors, enjoining them to disseminate the said documents in their respective local government units.

The procedures and the complaint form were formulated by the Inter-Agency Committee of the Office of Senior Citizens Affairs, where the DILG secretary sits as vice chairman.

Under the memorandum, Puno explained that the procedures and complaint form were devised to address any violation of the senior citizen's benefits granted under Republic Act 9257 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003, and to expedite appropriate action to their complaints.

Reports of the Senior Citizen's Advisory and Advocacy Group, a non-government volunteer group, showed that most violations are committed by establishments that do not allow discount to senior citizens in the purchase of medicines, prime and basic commodities, discount in private hospitals and medical facilities, discounts in fare for domestic sea and air travel, including discount in hotel, restaurants, and discount in admission fees in cinema houses and theaters, and other benefits.

The Federation of Senior Citizens Association of the Philippines has also asked President Gloria Arroyo that the law that grants discount and tax privileges to them be further reviewed and modified.

Under the law senior citizens, estimated to be five million nationwide, are entitled to 20 percent discount in hotels, lodging establishments, restaurants, recreation centers, purchase of medicines, admission fess in theaters and cinema houses, in fare for domestic sea and land travel, in private hospitals, and medical facilities, as well as in funeral and burial services.

They are also entitled to a five-percent discount in the purchase of prime and basic commodities and enjoy priority attention and given access in express lanes.

The complaint form contains a checklist of the violation or the specific benefit not granted, name and address of complainant, name of violator, establishment, address or location and date of incidence.

The complaint shall be submitted to the OSCA office of the province, city or municipality or to the offices of the provincial, city or municipal Social Welfare and Development, and shall be deliberated by a board composed of OSCA head, the city or municipal social welfare development officer, and the city or municipal senior citizens organization representative. - Garry B. Lao