Caloocan senior citizens appeal for exclusion from EVAT law

Senior citizens are up in arms over the inclusion of the expanded value added tax (EVAT) in the 20 percent mandatory discount provided to them by Republic Act 7432 or the Senior Citizens Act.

A group of senior citizens trooped to the office of Councilor Luis Chito Abel in Caloocan, urging to appeal to concerned government agencies their exclusion from the EVAT law for them to enjoy the 20 percent mandatory discount provided by RA 7432.

Abel said the elderly were complaining that because of the EVAT law, the 20 percent discount mandated under RA 7432 is actually reduced to only eight percent since they too are required to pay the 12 percent tax on their purchases.

“In effect, our senior citizens were only enjoying an eight percent discount on their purchases and services instead of the 20 percent as mandated by the Senior Citizens Act due to the EVAT,” Abel told The STAR.

Abel said that he already filed a resolution last month, imploring the Senate and the House of Representatives to amend the EVAT law to exempt senior citizens from the 12 percent tax coverage.

“Because of the passing of the EVAT law, the legislative branch of the government in effect partially repealed the senior citizens act and in part deprived the elderly of what was their rightful and mandatory benefit,” Abel explained.

He said he requested some lawmakers in Congress to look into the EVAT law and see if there are remedies that can be exhausted.

“In fact, I am just waiting for the schedule of a meeting with an administration senator so we can thresh out the possible remedies to this problem,” Abel said.

Abel said that most of the elderly are in dire need of medicine and medical care, which are subject to VAT.

The Caloocan councilor said that only recently, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition filed by a drug store seeking to annul the mandatory grant of the 20 percent discount for the elderly. – Pete Laude